It's Definitely, Maybe Her
by Bcsjs
Summary: Sam Evans has been through a lot since graduating from McKinley, including becoming a single father. One day, his daughter, Heather, asks him to tell the story of her mother. The story quickly becomes a mystery. Will it be Mercedes, Quinn, or Santana?
1. Prelude

Where do I start? I, Sam Evans, never thought my life would have ended up the way it has. After everything that has happened, I ended up becoming a guidance counselor. Yes, I said a guidance counselor at a high school. (No, not McKinley) I can't complain, because the job is truly fulfilling. I truly believe I am able to help students and honestly it's a good escape from my own problems.

Also, I am the adviser for the guitar club, so I get to play more often. I forgot how important the guitar was to me at one point in my life. Speaking of my life and prepare yourself for this. I am a single father of a beautiful 9-year old girl named Heather. She loves mystery novels, especially Nancy Drew. She also likes to sing, play guitar, and yes watch Avatar. We have seen the trilogy at least a thousand times together; even though I think she watches for me. Heather will even humor me every once in awhile and we'll have an entire conversation in Na'vi. She is…my world. Heather is one of the best parts of my life. My life that has…well…

Between moving to Lima, Ohio at 16 and now…a lot has happened. I have had moments that were good, bad, depressing, breathtaking, amazing, sad, shocking…well, you get the point. I am pretty sure I have felt every emotion at one point in the past 15 years. Lately, I never really thought seriously about my life and how I had got here. I have been really living day by day, until one day my daughter asked me a question that really made me examine not only my past, but my present and future.

She asked me about her mother…


	2. Chapter 1: Disney Princess

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, or anything.

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

It was just an ordinary Wednesday. It was a nice, quiet evening at home. Heather and I were enjoying dinner, while watching one of Heather's favorite movies. It was Beauty and the Beast, and Heather seemed to be engrossed in the story.

I began to look around our home. We lived in a modest, four-bedroom home in the suburbs of Cleveland, OH. It had beige walls with a simple brown living room set. There were pictures all around, but I was not much of a decorator. Maybe I should paint the walls burgundy-

"I think I maybe a Disney princess." Heather said absent-mindedly as if she was thinking out loud.

"What do you mean, sweetheart?" I wasn't exactly sure where she was going with this at all.

"Um…well…" I could tell she was looking for the right way to say something. I had noticed she had been unusually quiet for the last couple of days. Whenever I asked about the strange behavior, she said nothing was wrong.

"Well, dad it's just that…"

"You are beautiful like a princess" I cut in. "And smart, talented, and...um _graceful_?" I said the last word with a small chuckle.

Heather giggled. "Daddy, you know I'm a klutz!"

No truer statement had ever been spoken. I bought band-aids for my little girl by the bulk. She always seemed to fall at least once a week. She was always having accidents. Like, last week, when she got her brown hair caught in the car window. I mean how does that happen-"

"I don't have a mom." This time, Heather cut me off mid-thought. "Almost none of the princesses have moms. They all live with their daddies." Her voice was low and tinged with sadness.

My heart fell. I have always tried my best to be everything for her, but I knew that I could not take the place of a mother for Heather.

"Well, you see, Heather, everybody's family is a little different. Some families have a mom and dad, some families have one-"

"Dad, some families have one mom, some families have only grandparents." Heather said, finishing my obviously worn out speech.

Heather continued, "Dad, it's just we never talk about her. I mean, all the girls at school are always talking about their parents, especially their moms. They talk about shopping trips, arguments, bedtime stories, special hot chocolate, quality time…" She looked at my face and must have seen the sadness on my face. She said sympathy, "You are great dad and you do a lot of things for and with me. It's just that I only have basics, but I want to know she was like. What she was really like. Can you please tell me more about her?"

Heather deserved to know the truth. I had tried to avoid this conversation…and the memories with it for years, but here it was staring me in the face. I looked down at my daughter and her eyes were wide with anticipation of my answer. Then I moved my eyes to my half eaten plate of food and sighed. Sometimes, I felt like a failure at attempting the motherly things Heather needed. Like, styling her hair. I hope Heather never has to see the pictures of her hair in the early years, before I got the hang of it. I told Puck to delete the pictures, but I am pretty sure he kept them in case he needed to blackmail me for babysitting. I knew Heather needed more.

Life with Heather was simple now. I mean I could handle her life and interests now. But in a couple of years, my little girl would be a teenager. The conversations would change from Nancy Drew mysteries, singing, and SpongeBob to conversations about concerts, driving, and…boys. I shuddered at the thought and I knew I had to mentally prepare myself for those conversations. After about five seconds, I looked back up at Heather, whose eyes were still wide.

I smiled and said, "I'll tell you anything you want to know." Heather squealed, which surprised me because Heather never squeals. "What's her favorite color? Band? Book? Was she a singer? Did she read a lot like me?" About thirty questions were coming out of Heather's mouth a minute.

"Whoa, sweetheart, one question at a time!" Heather stopped and looked like she was seriously contemplating her next question. "Did you love her?"

I was taken aback that this was her first serious question. In response, I simply stated "Yes."

"Was she you girlfriend?"

"She-" I started, but Heather cut in with a more embarrassing question.

"Have you ever had a girlfriend?" I am sure my face had turned a nice shade of pink at this point. This was not the conversation I wanted to have with my daughter. "I mean …" Heather continued, "Uncle Stevie always has a girlfriend, like a new one every week. And Uncle Mike has Aunt Tina. Uncle Artie is dating that nice blonde lady, whom always gives me lollipops. Uncle Puck has Aunt Lauren. But what about you, daddy? Do you have anyone? I don't think have ever seen you with anyone."

"What just happened?" I thought as the entire conversation seemed flipped to my non-existent love life. It felt awkward, for at least me anyway.

"Um…I haven't really dated since college…I been busy with my career…well, careers and _you_. Smiling, directly at her on the last word.

"Oh-" Heather started, "you met my mom in college?"

"High School, actually sweetheart. You know, I have an idea. Why don't you get ready for bed and I will come and tell you the whole story."

Heather smiled, but then her face took a more serious look, as she said sternly, "Do you promise to tell me nothing but the truth, the whole truth, so help you, God?"

I looked back at her just as sternly and playfully yelled, "You can't handle the truth!"

Heather giggled and said, "You're such a dork, daddy!" before running to her room.

As I walked to the kitchen, my cell phone rang. I picked up the phone and saw Mike Chang on the caller ID.

"Hello", I said.

"Hey, Sam. I was calling to find out if you had plans for the weekend? There is this new restaurant that I want to try. They have a stage in front for karaoke and impromptu dancing-" My mind had trailed off to how I was going to tell Heather about her. I knew this day would come, I had just wished I had better prepared myself instead of just avoiding.

"Hello, Earth to Sam!" Mike said trying to grab my attention.

"Huh?"

"Were you even listening to me or did I just waste three minutes of my life?"

"Sorry Mike…it's just Heather."

"Is everything okay? Is she hurt?" Mike said with concern. "Just say the word and Tina and I will be over there."

"No, it's just that Heather asked about her mother."

Sam could hear Mike take in a sharp breath over the phone after hearing the news. "Oh man…what are you going to tell her? I mean I really think you should have told her when she was younger that-"

I cut in, "She wasn't ready. I didn't want to put her through-"

Mike cut in, "Was it she who wasn't ready or you? It still sounds like you aren't ready."

I sighed and looked up at my beige ceiling. There were maybe two people who could see right through me. One was definitely Mike. The other was Mercedes. My heart flipped at the thought of her. It's so funny to me how she can still affect me after all these years. Mercedes could also always tell how I was feeling. I always wondered how she did that. She above everyone else could see through me and understand me. I just wish I had not screwed things up."

"I have to do this, Mike. I'll see you at the restaurant this weekend okay. Text me the time and address."

"Okay man…good luck."

"Thanks." After hanging up the phone with Mike, I cleaned the kitchen, turned the TV off, and proceeded to walk to Heather's room. I stopped at the door and stared at her name decorated on the door in various shades of green. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Heather sat on the bed reading one of her Nancy Drew novels.

"Hey, Dad!" she said empathically. "I just got to the part where she reveals the thief to the townsfolk."

I proceeded to sit pretzel-style on the bed and faced Heather. While sitting down, I said, "Thanks great, sweetheart." Heather proceeded to put the book down and began to stare at me patiently.

"So-" I said slowly still trying to delay the conversation. "How was school today?"

Heather giggled. "Daddy, I told you already! I painted, played dodge ball, and made a new friend. Her name is Melissa. She just moved here and she played with me and my friend Katy." Heather again stopped and stared patiently waiting for me to talk. She must have grown impatient, since she broke the silence. "So…dad, tell me about mom."

"Wow, where to start?"

"From the beginning." Heather said so matter-of-factly.

"Um…" I said as I stared down at the Nancy Drew novel. "I have an idea!" I said excitedly. "What if I told the story of your mom like a mystery?"

If I though Heather's eyes had been wide before, nothing compared to the huge brown globes coming out of her sockets gleaming with excitement.

THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!" Heather said emphasizing each word.

"Okay", I said, "But you have to figure who is your mom. In high school, I had three girlfriends."

"What!" Heather said obviously shocked. "You used to be like Uncle Stevie!"

"Uh…yeah...kinda…don't judge me, Heather." I said jokingly. "Well, one of these girls is your mom." I said with a more serious tone.

"Yes! I'm so excited!" Heather said slightly bouncing in her bed.

"First, some ground rules before we start. One, I reserve the right to change some things around just to keep you on your toes, you master sleuth. Two, no matter what point of the story we are in, you have to be in bed by 9:00 pm sharp. Three, I love you. Always remember that."

"I love you too, Daddy. Now_ please_ start the story."

"Okay, well it all started when I was 16."

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><p>Hi, I've been reading Glee stories for the past month and they have been really good. They inspired me to write this story. This is my first story ever, so please review and tell me what you think!<p>

Thanks, Bcsjs


	3. Chapter 2: Welcome to McKinley!

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, or anything.

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><p>It was my first week at my new school. I walked through the halls of McKinley HS, and thought about how different it was from my old high school in Nashville. It was definitely bigger, louder, and more diverse then my private all boys school. Finding my way through the school was easy enough. I was on my way to my locker, when I saw her. She was standing five lockers down looking into a locker mirror in a red and white cheerleader outfit with her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. At this point I realized I was staring, so I went to my locker and started turning the lock. Then a guy with a mohawk yelled something from down the hall.<p>

"Quinn! The glee club meeting got changed to 3:15!"

The girl looked up and scanned the room for who had just called her. Then I saw her face; she was beautiful. During scan through the hallway, her eyes landed on me. For a brief second, I felt my heart skip a beat while she smiled at me. At least, I thought she was smiling at me, but another blonde girl walked from behind me toward her. The second girl pointed to the mohawk teenager, and they walked toward him. As I watched her walk away, there were three things I knew at that point. Her name was Quinn, she was a cheerleader, and I had to talk to her. So I-

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><p><em>Wait! <em>Heather shouted interrupting the story.

"What is it, Heather?" I asked slightly startled. "Am I going too fast?"

"No, I have a question."

"Shoot."

"Is Quinn one of the three?" she said raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but I'm getting to that part of the story."

Heather nodded. "Okay. Wait a minute." Heather scooted across and off the bed. She ran to her closet, and seemed to be looking for something. Things she threw were flying out of the closet, until she found what she was looking for. She ran back to the bed with a notebook and pen. She climbed back into her spot, opened the book, and began to write.

"What are you doing?" I asked

"If I'm going to solve this mystery, I have to write down clues and details." She explained as she wrote. "I have a special page dedicated to this Quinn girl. Okay, you may proceed."

"Oh, where was I?" I said trying to remember what I had said.

"She's pretty…blah, blah, blah…you want to talk to her…blah, blah..." Heather said bobbing her head to the side with each blah.

"Yeah, well on my way to my next class…"

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><p>There was a billboard on the wall in the middle of the hallway. There were numerous clubs to join, but my eye immediately landed on the football tryout sign-up. I had been a pretty good player at my old school. Also, I secretly dreamed about playing for the Tennessee Titans one day in the NFL.<p>

As I was writing my name down, a brunette walked toward me with flyers in her hand. She had this determined look on her face as her steady stride made her plaid skirt swish from side to side. "Hello, welcome to McKinley HS!" she said with way too much enthusiasm as she extended her hand. I shook it as she said "My name is Rachel Berry." She retracted her hand and waved it across the billboard when she said "I am a member of many of the fine organizations available here, including the glee club. Please, come and try out." She handed me a flyer as she proceeded to pass out flyers to other people giving the same generic speech. I looked at the ultra feminine flyer and threw it in the trash. I liked to sing, but not in public.

After buying my lunch and sitting down in the eating area, I heard a beat in the background. I looked around and thought I was going crazy. No one seemed to notice the music. But out of nowhere this tall guy with brown hair started rapping with a guy in a wheelchair. Then I heard a group belt out, "New York!" I soon started bobbing my head to the beat. The performance was amazing. But when it was done, no one clapped or seemed to notice what had just happened.

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><p><em>I have another question…<em>

"Yes, Heather." I tried to hide the slight annoyance in my voice, but Heather must have heard it. Heather winced and mumbled a 'never mind.'

"No, sweetheart, go on and ask away." I encouraged "You're the one who has to figure this out."

"It's just that…Rachel Berry is Aunt Rachel's name. Can Aunt Rachel be my mom? Because I would have mixed feelings about that. I would be happy because she is cool, talented, and fun. But I would be angry that she didn't tell me. I go and visit her, Uncle Kurt, and Uncle Blaine every summer in July…"

"Rachel is not one of the three."

"Oh. Why not?" Heather asked curiously, while crossing Rachel's name out of her book.

"Aunt Rachel and I were always friends. Plus, Aunt Rachel was always in love with Finn."

"Isn't Finn the guy that Uncle Puck is always talking about all the time? When I go over to his house, he talks about him sometimes. Then Aunt Lauren yells at him to shut up. It's funny."

I laughed at thought of Puck and Lauren. "Yeah…They are funny."

"So daddy…what happened next?"

"Well…"

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><p>I did pretty well at tryouts. I got the quarterback position, when the rapper, I mean Finn, had a misunderstanding with the coach. After finally joining glee, I started dating Quinn. We got to sing together a couple, including at Sectionals. Everything was going good until I got hit. After taking a play call from Finn, I took a game ending blow. Finn became quarterback again.<p>

This wasn't the only thing going wrong in my life. My grades started to dip a little, and my parents were acting strange. At least, I had Quinn, but she seemed to only want to talk about prom even though it was early January.

"So Sam, I was thinking about wearing a soft pink dress to prom. I wanted to give you advance notice so you could get your suit together. We need to get our attire out of the way, so we can focus on campaigning." Quinn said, looping her arm with mine.

"Campaigning for what?" I asked confused.

"For prom king and queen. We need to get on jump on it early, because I only have one shot at this."

"Don't you mean _we_ only have one shot at this?" I said emphasizing we.

"Of course, baby." Quinn said quickly, trying to be reassuring. "You know what I meant."

"Yeah, but isn't kinda earlier to be thinking about prom. I'm still taking down Christmas decorations."

Quinn giggled softly. "Oh, you are so funny, Sam."

I liked it when Quinn laughed, so I did my best George W. Bush impression to make her laugh again. I did hear laughs, but it was from other bystanders in the hall.

Quinn looked embarrassed as she pulled me to the side of the hallway next to the lockers. "Sam, please don't do impressions. We don't want anyone thinking you are dorky or anything." She said with a serious tone. "You already lost your quarterback position and we don't want you to fall socially anymore."

"I thought you liked my impressions…" I said with a little disappointment in my voice. "And does me being a quarterback really mean that much?"

"Your impressions are cute, but there is a time and a place for them. School is neither one of those. As for being a quarterback, it doesn't mean that much. I just think it would have been easier to win prom king and queen if you were one." Quinn explained as the bell rang.

"Sam, think about your suit. I have to get to class." Quinn kissed my cheek and hurried down the hall.

Quinn had starting to grow distant over the past few weeks. Maybe I was doing something wrong. When we weren't talking about prom, she always seemed to be half listening and thinking about something else. I wanted to show Quinn how much I liked her and how important she was to me. So I decided the best way to do that would be to get her a promise ring.

When I gave it to her, she loved it. She said it was one of the most romantic things that anyone had ever done for her. I was finally happy to see her smile at something non-prom related. My high from my break-through with Quinn came crashing down when I got home.

I came home early that day since the glee club meeting had been cancelled. When I walked through the door and I could hear my mom crying.

"Mom? Mom!" I walked in the kitchen and I saw her. She turned around and looked at me startled.

"Oh, Sam." She said quickly trying to wipe away the tears. Her green eyes looked so sad and heavy so someone who was usually so happy and high-spirited.

"Mom…what's wrong?" I was worried at this point. Whatever it was, it was bad. I could just tell from the crushed expression on her face.

She sighed deeply and looked directly into my eyes. "Your dad and I both lost our jobs. We are four months behind on our mortgage and we are going to lose the house." She looked down and let out a few sobs that she seemed to have been holding back. I put my hand on her shoulder and squeezed it in support. She put her hand over mine. After about one minute, she looked back up at me. "We have to leave today."

My world came crashing down. I dropped hand and just stared at her confused. I know what I had heard, but I couldn't believe it. "What…how?" I stammered. "We moved here because of dad's job!"

"I know, Sam. I'm sorry but we can't talk about this right now. Help me pack. Go into the rooms and grab clothes for you, Stevie, and Stacy."

I ran to the rooms and started stuffing clothes in brown boxes. Everything happened so fast. We grabbed everything could. Between my siblings crying, the rushing, and the bank coming to the house, everything was hectic. When we drove away, my heart broke when I realized I left my guitar on the counter. My guitar that I had since I was five.

We moved in a motel room that night. I tried to comfort my siblings. Stacy was scared and Stevie was confused. But what could I really say to them? The first morning that I woke in the motel was surreal. All the mornings after that just became a depressing reminder.

I noticed Quinn was becoming distant again and I had a strong feeling Finn had something to do with it. She was the last good thing in my life and I wasn't going to let go. I didn't even tell her about my situation, because I didn't want her to leave. I needed to do something, even if a little crazy. After getting a pizza delivery job, I worked on a one man show. I called it the "Justin Bieber Experience." I made some extra money playing at parties and bar-mitzvahs.

I eventually got the courage to perform it in front of the glee club. I dedicated it Quinn. My rendition of "Baby" got mixed reviews. The girls loved it. The guys didn't understand why the girls loved it. I didn't care, because only Quinn's opinion mattered.

She loved it.

Again, my high came crashing down, when Santana confirmed my suspicions that Quinn was cheating on me with Finn. I was hurt and angry. She was my first love. And as much as I wanted to be with her, I couldn't stay with a cheater.

Santana offered her to be my girlfriend and I accepted. It may look to everyone else that Santana manipulated me, but I had alternatives motives. I wanted to make Quinn jealous. I wanted to hurt her like she hurt me.

I was standing at my locker, when she walked towards. I tried to look up and ignore how beautiful she looked in her sweater.

"Are we still on for our date?" Quinn asked. I could see her smiling out my peripherals.

"You need a boyfriend to go on a date and I'm not your boyfriend." I said as I closed my locker and walked away.

"What? Why are you saying this?"Quinn said walking toward me confused.

"Because you can't look me in the eye right now and tell me you didn't kiss Finn." I said to a shocked Quinn. Quinn looked down before looking back up at me.

"But I want to be with you, Sam" Quinn said softly

I slipped up and I accidently said 'I can't be with you' in Na'vi. I looked up and said, "Shoot, Santana told me not to speak Na'vi. " Remembering Santana ridiculing me when I asked her for phone number in Na'vi.

"What does Santana have to do with this? Sam!" Quinn said with hurt in her voice. The bell rang.

"I have to go." I said and walked into the classroom.

Rumors soon spread that I was dating Santana. After about a month, Finn and Quinn were dating too.

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><p><em>Daddy…<em>

"What is it, sweetheart?" I said mentally coming back from memory lane.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry your first love broke your heart. She didn't know how much fun you are. Your impressions are awesome." Heather smiled at me.

"Thanks sweetheart. But it's not your fault. Quinn had bad priorities back then."

"Does she change?" Heather asked

"You have wait and hear the rest of the story. I'm only in my junior year at this point."

"I don't like this Finn guy. He took the quarterback spot and Quinn from you. That's mean." Heather said with her brows furrowed and arms crossed.

I frowned at that. But then I thought her opinion of Finn would probably change as the story went on. "Heather, you know Finn changes too. We actually become really close our senior year." I said, jumping a little ahead in the story

Heather cocked her head to the side. "Really? Why?"

"Well-" I looked at the clock and it was 9:14 pm. "Did you know it was past your bedtime?"

"No…maybe…" Heather said looking everywhere but at me.

"It's okay we can continue the story tomorrow night."

"No! Please tell me more. I want to know what happens with Santana." Heather pouted

"Hey now, Heather, we had an agreement. Remember rule 2?" Heather sighed and got under the covers. I kissed her forehead and began to walk out.

"Wait, dad. I have one more question." Heather looked at me. "Is Santana one of the three too?"

"Yes. Now go to bed." Heather scribbled down something in her notepad and then put it on her nightstand.

Heather yawned. "Good night, daddy. Love you."

I turned off the lights and walked out as I said, "I love you more."

I started to walk toward my room to go to sleep, but I heard my phone buzz on the kitchen counter. When I retrieved my phone, I saw I had a text. I was surprised, because the sender was definitely not anyone I expected. The text read:

"_Be in Cleveland on Friday. Don't tell Heather! We want it to be a surprise!"_


	4. Chapter 3: Sam, Don't Be A Stranger

Thank-you so much to everyone for the reviews. Here's a new chapter, so enjoy.

Please read and review!

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><p>Finally, it was 4:00 pm. I had no idea why Thursday always seemed to be the busiest day for the counselors' office. I saw and talked to at least thirty kids today. The stress was starting to take its toll. Our office was short staffed due to budget cuts and everyone's work load had basically tripled.<p>

I grabbed my things and went out the office doors. I had to pick up Heather from after school care by 4:15 pm. As I am speed walking down the hall, I hear someone yell my name. I immediately recognized it as Artie's voice. I slowed down so Artie could catch up to me, but I never actually stopped walking.

"How's it rolling Artie?" I asked

"Hahaha", Artie laughed sarcastically. "That wasn't even a good wheelchair joke, man. I expected better. Anyway, where are you running off to?"

"I have to go get Heather. Aftercare is over by 4:15. Why aren't you heading home?" I noticed he didn't have his backpack.

"I still have to prepare a lesson plan for my African-American and Asian-American history classes."

"When did you start teaching those subjects? No offense, but are you even qualified?"

"Preach!" Artie said raising his arm and closing his eyes for a split second. As he retracted his arm, he said, "That's what I said! But with budget cuts, they need me to teach both classes. So I have to catch up on the material for both classes at the same time. I know this isn't going to end well. I am pretty sure that I told my African-American class yesterday that Malcolm X gave the 'I Have a Dream' speech."

I laughed. "Don't worry man things will get better. Hey, are you going to that new restaurant with Mike and me?"

"Yeah, and I think Puck is coming too. He still was trying to convince Lauren to let him go the last time I called. I don't think she wants to watch all those kids by herself. Did you know they have seven now?"

"Yeah, I was at the hospital with them for the last four kids. Man, I don't know how they do it. Hey, why doesn't she just go over with the kids and hang out with Tina. That way there will be two sets of eyes."

"No!" Artie raised his voice slightly. "Don't suggest that. Mike and Tina only have one kid. I don't think Tina wants to spend her Saturday night watching seven of Puck's spawns."

I rubbed the back of my neck for a second. "Yeah, I guess that was a lapse in judgment on my part." I looked down at my watch and saw it was 4:06. "I gotta go! I'm running late." I started jogging down the rest of the hallway, when I heard Artie yell,

"Okay, stay golden, Blondie!"

I yelled back, "I expected a better blonde joke!" as I rushed out the school door.

I started running to the elementary school, which was five blocks away. I heard a few guys yell, "Yeah! Stay fit number 7!" at me as I passed them. I just ignored them and walked into the school.

It was chaos.

Parents were yelling teachers. Some teachers were explaining, while some were apologizing. There seemed to be mixed reactions among the students. Some were laughing, crying, and a few were saying 'that's gross!' I wondered what had happened.

"Sam? Is that you?" I heard a voice from behind me and saw a blast from the past.

"Mrs. Jones? Oh my God, it's so nice to see you." I gave her a quick hug, before asking. "How have you been?"

"I've been good. No complaints. Michael and I are about to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary." She said with a smile.

"Wow, that's great."

Mrs. Jones still looked the same. Sure, her hair was starting to gray, but she didn't seem to age. I don't care what anyone says; Mercedes definitely took more after her mother.

"Did you hear about what happened today?" Mrs. Jones said as she pointed to the chaos in the room.

"No, I was wondering what happened. It's usually so orderly."

"Apparently, a girl in the 8th grade got pregnant. So the school thought it would be a good idea to give a sex ed lesson to all the kids in the 4th grade and up." Mrs. Jones shook her head. "They forgot to get parental consent."

"Noooo!" I said exaggerated mumbling. "Did you say 4th grade?" Heather had undoubtedly just been given 'the talk.' Great, I thought. More awkward conversations.

"Oh my God!" Mrs. Jones said quickly before putting her hand over her mouth. She seemed to be shocked by something. Again, I wondered what was going on. I followed the path of her eyes and they landed on Heather, who was down the hall talking to her teacher.

Mrs. Jones moved her hand over her shoulder, digging her fingertips into it. "Sam, she's gotten so _big._" She said emphasizing the last word. "And she looks _just_ like her."

A huge wave of guilt washed over me. It had been awhile since I'd taken Heather to Lima to visit everyone still there. "Yeah, she does. I should bring her back to Lima more often to visit everyone there." Mrs. Jones still had her eyes locked on Heather.

"Yes, you should." Mrs. Jones said bluntly. Oh, that didn't help with the guilt, I thought.

She continued, "I think people there would be happy to see her doing so well after what happened." Now, Mrs. Jones looked me directly in the eyes. "Have you told her yet?"

"No… I'm actually just starting to tell her the story. Would you like to talk to her?" Mrs. Jones smiled as her eyes lit up.

"I'd loved to-" She was interrupted by a woman, I presumed was a teacher.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Jones. Ms. Carter, can see you now." Mrs. Jones sighed and said 'thank-you' to the woman.

"Sorry, Sam, I have to go. I've been waiting over an _hour_ to talk to this woman." Mrs. Jones gave me a tight hug, before walking away.

"Wait! Mrs. Jones please tell Mr. Jones that I said 'Hi.'" Mrs. Jones laughed.

"Please, Sam, call him Michael." Then her voice turned serious, "But you call me, Mrs. Jones. You lost your privilege to call me Carol, when you took Michael's side that day."

I laughed. "Yeah, I should've just taken DeShawn's advice and kept my mouth shut."

"Hey, are you still a fan of the Tennessee Titans?" She asked.

"Um…I have mixed feelings about the Titans."

Mrs. Jones laughed, but her voice took a more sincere tone. "And Sam. Don't be a stranger. Call us sometime. Michael and I miss talking to you." She said before she walked into a classroom.

It really was nice seeing her, but I forgot to ask her why she was in Cleveland. Considering Lima was a good hour drive away. I walked toward Heather who seemed to be having a debate with her teacher.

"It doesn't make sense." Heather said. "How can you have a baby come from seeds and eggs?"

I sighed deeply and dropped my head at having heard that question. I looked back up. Ms. Rossi had put a hand on her forehead in frustration. She walked toward me and said a quick 'Sorry, Mr. Evans.' Then she walked away.

I looked down at Heather, who was staring at me.

"Daddy, we need to talk…"


	5. Chapter 4: You Can Have Her

Thank-you so much to everyone for the reviews.

To lostinmyself13 and everyone else, as much as I want to tell you all, I can't say who the mom is yet. You guys will definitely know who the mom is and everything that happened by the end of the story.

Here's a new chapter, so enjoy.

Please read and review!

* * *

><p>After about 15 minutes of questions and explanations, Heather was finally done with the conversation.<p>

"Okay, Heather. Do you have any more questions?"

"No. I think I understand. I don't have any more questions about sex."

"Um…Heather, let's just call it the birds and the bees."

"I don't understand. What do birds and bees have to do with it?

"Nothing. It's just another way of saying it. It's…um…" I was looking for the right word. "An expression."

Heather shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, whatever you say daddy. Can we get back to the story?" Heather said as she picked up her notebook and pen.

* * *

><p>"Okay, so back at McKinley High…"<p>

I was officially dating Santana. It was definitely different from dating Quinn. While Quinn was scary at times, Santana was intense all the time. She was always calling me Trouty Mouth, and constantly insulting me. After about two weeks of dating Santana, I came to a realization.

I had gone from dating a cheater to an abuser.

I was standing at my locker grabbing books for my next class, when Santana walked up. Despite her constant bad attitude, I had to admit she looked pretty today.

"Hey, beautiful."

"Hey, Trouty Mouth."

I hated that nickname. Santana had been calling me for the last few days and I told her it annoyed me. But that seemed to only make her use it more.

"Santana, can please you stop calling me Trouty Mouth. How did you even come up with that nickname?"

"You lips look like they were taken from a fish." She paused. "Do you prefer guppy lips?"

It was too earlier in the morning to be this frustrated. "I prefer neither." I said irritated. "How many times have I told you that? Those nicknames aren't really terms of endearment."

"Who said I was trying to be endearing?" Santana said bluntly

"Sorry to assume you were trying to think of pet names for your boyfriend." I said sarcastically

"Whatever, Sam."

"Can you at least not call me that in public?"

Silence.

"Santana. Santana? Are you ignoring me?" I looked at Santana who seemed to be looking past me. I looked down the hall and saw Artie and Brittany. 'Why is Santana staring at them so intensely? Could Santana have a thing for Artie?' I thought

I noticed that after Artie left, Santana was still staring. I looked back at Santana quickly and saw she was actually smiling. And then it hit me. Whoa, Santana has a thing for Brittany. I wanted to ask Santana, but I knew that would most likely end badly. Most likely either resulting in a punch to the gut or being cursed out in Spanish. But I decided to go for it. I put a text book over my stomach and asked,

"Um…Santana do you have a thing for Brittany?" I tried to ask as nonchalantly as possibly. There was more silence. I looked at her. She was angry. I braced myself for the punch.

"What are you insinuating Froggy Lips?" Uhh…Another nickname.

I stood firm. "You heard me. Do you have a thing for Brittany?"

"I am not a lesbian, Sam!" Santana said emphasizing each word. "How dare you accuse me? I'm your _girlfriend_!" This time she raised her voice.

I didn't believe it. She seemed too flustered to be telling the truth. "I think you are. You really were not that subtle just now." I turned directly to her. "You know, you should go for it."

"What? Are you telling me to see someone else?" Santana said in disbelief

"Santana, come on. We didn't get together on the best pretenses. We were just trying to hurt other people. Besides, we argue most of the time." I paused for a second before giving the best reason. "And you never look at me the way you just looked at Brittany. Not too sound too cheesy…but you should follow your heart."

Santana looked to be taken back. There was a long uncomfortable silence between us while she seemed to study me. After some time had passed, Santana sighed deeply. "What if she doesn't want to be with me? What will people say?" Santana's voice was low and a little sad. I was shocked that actually Santana just confided in me. I thought hard about what would be the right thing to say and decided to just go with my gut.

"It is Brittany's decision. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. Tell her how feel and if she says no, her loss." I shrugged my shoulders. "It doesn't matter what other people think. The only opinions that matter are between you two."

"I just don't like people talking behind my back." Santana admitted

"Tell me who they are and I'll beat them up." Santana laughed.

I smiled. "I think that was the first time I made you laugh."

"I surprised too. Because you are not as funny as you think you are." Santana said.

"And there's the insult. Wow, you just went a whole three minutes without insulting me. I'm impressed."

Santana rolled her eyes. She started to walk away, but then looked back and said,

"Sam, I know you like that shirt, but you have worn it three times in the last two weeks. Give it a rest."

I blushed. I wasn't able to grab as many clothes as I wanted when we had to leave. I hoped Santana was the only one that noticed my repeat of clothes.

"Thanks, I think."

"Anytime, Trouty Mouth."

* * *

><p><em>I'm confused…<em>

"What are you confused about Heather?"

"If Santana's gay, how can she be my mom?" Heather asked, "She likes girls and you're a boy…Does this mean Santana isn't my mom?

"Is that you're final answer?" Heather seemed to be thinking hard. "No, it seems too easy to rule out someone this early. I need more clues!"

"Okay, well…"

* * *

><p>At glee club, I sat in the back of the room. Santana came in and sat next to me. She didn't say anything, and she frowned when Artie and Brittany came in hand in hand.<p>

"Are you okay?"

"How do you think I am?" She answered coldly. "I took your stupid advice and she shot me down."

Before I could respond, Mr. Schue walked in. He was about to start his lesson, when Santana raised her hand.

"Mr. Schue, I have an original song that I'd like to sing." Mr. Schue gave her the go ahead. She walked before everyone.

"I have a song I'd like to sing to Sam." I smiled.

"It's called Trouty Mouth." My smiled dropped.

As she sang the song, I could feel the heat rising to my face. I was pretty sure my face was red, especially when I heard other glee members snickering. After about 20 more seconds, I couldn't take it anymore.

I yelled, "Mr. Schue! We cannot sing that song at Regionals!"

Mr. Schue added, "I agree. It was a good effort, Santana, but it wasn't really an epic song."

After club, Santana rushed out of the room. I ran after her.

"Santana! What was that! I told you I hate the nickname and you make a song out of it!" I said angrily.

"You said not to say it in public. You didn't say anything about singing it." She shrugged her shoulders.

I couldn't believe her. I was angry with her. It was like she purposely tried to embarrass me. Before I respond to her last statement, she grabbed my arm and pulled me closer. She kissed me. When she pulled away, she had a slight smile.

"Trouty Mouth _is_ a term of endearment." She said emphasizing 'is'. "I like your lips."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "This relationship confuses me. One minute you're a lesbian. In the next minute, you're kissing me. What is this?"

"It's us. It's the story of us." She said as she walked away.

* * *

><p>It was Saturday evening. I was working a double at my pizza delivery job. It was finally my last stop for the night. I looked the address of the delivery. It seemed familiar, but I shrugged the feeling off. I probably had just delivered here before. I pulled up and walked with three pizzas up to the door. I rang the doorbell, and realized why the address was familiar.<p>

"Sam?" Kurt asked confused. "When did you start delivering pizzas?"

"For awhile now." I heard people in the background. "Is Finn here?"

"No. He's out… with Quinn."

Even though I was with Santana, it still hurt hearing about Quinn out a date with someone else.

"Do you want to come in?" Kurt offered

"No, that's okay. It's my last delivery and I probably should head…home." I remembered I was heading to a motel room and not actually a home.

Kurt must have sensed something wrong with me. "I insist you come in. I can have someone to talk to, while my dad and his friends watch some sport."

I hated to admit it, but I really did want to delay my return to the motel room. "Yeah, sure, thanks." I said ripping the stupid uniform hat off my head. We walked in the living room.

"Hey everyone. This is my friend Sam." Kurt said pointing to me. "Sam, this is my dad, Mr. Burt, and everyone else."

"Hello everyone." I said giving a small wave.

Kurt walked into the kitchen and I followed. "So…how's life, Sam?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm alive."

Kurt gave me a look of confusion. "That has to be the most depressing answer I have ever heard. Anything you want to talk about? Why are you working?"

I did want to talk to someone about my problem. I didn't want to complain to my parents. It would just make them feel guilty. I didn't want to tell any of my friends. I felt so alone. Kurt offered to listen and I took it."

I looked down at my shoes and sighed. "My parents lost their jobs awhile ago. They got behind in the bills including the mortgage. We lost the house and now we are living in a motel room." I looked back up at Kurt who was staring at me intently. "I work at a pizza place, so we have some kind of income coming in." It felt good to finally lift some of the burden of the secret. I noticed that Kurt hadn't said anything. I started to regret confiding in him. Until he said,

"Don't look down, Sam. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. Your family is going through a hard time. Everybody has bad times. I'm sure the glee club-"

"Do not tell the glee club! Or anyone!" I cut in. "Please don't."

"If it's a secret, then my lips are sealed." Kurt started looking around. "You know, I have some extra clothes that you could probably fit. I noticed that you've been repeating some clothes a lot."

"I don't want any handouts. I'm taking care of things."

"I was going to give it to charity anyway." Kurt's eyes widened at his last words. "Not that this is charity! I'm just helping a friend out. Sam, just take them. I'll even help you take some of the sequins off of them." I laughed.

"Thanks, Kurt."

"If you need anything else, just tell me. You don't have to go through this alone."

Kurt walked away, and I heard running up the stairs. After about 10 minutes, Kurt came back with a huge bag of clothes.

"Kurt, this is too much."

"Take them or they go in the trash and no one uses them."

I took the bag and gave Kurt a quick hug. I told him I had to go back to home. It was getting close to curfew.

* * *

><p>The next day, we went to church. It started like any other Sunday. We sat in our pew and listened to the pastor. It became uncomfortable, when Quinn and her mom walked in and sat behind me. I felt extremely uncomfortable, especially when my mom started talking to Quinn. I had neglected to tell my family about the whole QuinnSantana incident. The uncomfortable feeling turned to mortification when the pastor said,

"We would like to pray for the Evans family. They are going through a rough time as most of you know, beings some of the latest victims of a recession. Please, give generously to the offering. The church needs money to help them and others going through difficult times."

I wanted to run. I wanted to run and hide under a rock. I could feel Quinn staring at me. This must be what bottom feels like.

When church was over, I ran out. I waited outside by a tree, just wishing my family would hurry. Of course, they walked out _with_ Quinn.

"Sam, you didn't tell us you stopped seeing Quinn", my mom said.

"I forgot to mention it." I mumbled. "I have been dating a girl named Santana for the past few weeks."

"I wish you had told us at least" my dad said. I could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"Don't be too hard on Sam. It was a mutual break and it's been hard on both of us." Quinn added

"Mutual? So that's what we're calling me dumping you?" I said with edge in my voice.

"Sam! We did not raise you to speak to people like that!" My mom said in obvious embarrassment

"No, Mrs. Evans. I deserved that. I should go." Quinn gave me a half-smile and walked away.

"Why didn't you tell us? I mean you were really fond of Quinn." my dad said "We've noticed you have been really distant lately."

"Dad, I really can't talk about this right now." I looked around and church members were staring at us. I hated being a spectacle. "Can we go?"

"Yes, but you should know Quinn offered to babysit Stacy and Stevie while we job search. We accepted her offer."

I gaped, before saying, "Why didn't you ask me first? Didn't you think I'd be uncomfortable around my ex-girlfriend?"

"If you had told us that you broke up with her, we wouldn't have said yes."

I couldn't deal with this. I walked away.

* * *

><p>A couple of weeks had passed since Kurt and Quinn finding out. We had won Regionals. I was at glee and I was actually having a good day. I got a B on a test and I had a day off from my pizza delivery job. When Santana walked, I smiled at her. She ignored me and walked to the front of the class.<p>

She announced she was now dating Karofsky. I shocked, especially since technically we were still dating. Apparently, he had seen the errors of his ways with bullying Kurt. He and Santana had developed feelings for each other, and started an anti-bully campaign called the Bully Whips. This was complete bull. It was obviously from everyone else's reactions that I wasn't the only one who thought so.

After the glee club meeting, I walked up to Santana. She was at her locker looking in a mirror.

"What the hell, Santana? Karofsky! You're leaving me for Karofsky, and didn't even have the decency to tell me before hand?" I was livid.

"You told me to follow my heart, Sam. I'm just taking your advice." She didn't even look at me.

"I was talking about Brittany. Somebody, you actually seem to care about. Your relationship with Karofsky seems more fake then the one you have with me!" I was raising my voice.

Santana turned to me. "If our relationship was so fake, why are you so upset?"

She had a point, and I didn't know the answer to that question.

"I don't know… but I do know that Karofsky has been gunning for me ever since that fight last fall. Remember? The fight where Artie, Mike, and I were defending Kurt. You just gave him ammunition." As if on cue, Karofsky walked over with a smug look on his face.

"Evans, what are you doing talking to _my_ girlfriend?" He said emphasizing 'my' and grabbing her by the waist.

It was an understatement that this situation made me angry. I wanted to punch the look off his face, but the last thing I needed was to go to the principal's office.

"I can talk to whoever I want, Karofsky." I couldn't hide the obvious angry in my voice.

Karofsky laughed in my face. "You're still mad about that butt kicking I gave you in the locker rooms. You're lucky the fight was broken up."

I lost it. I was ready for a fight and I didn't care about the consequences. "I remember it as me pushing your ass to the ground, and me beating you down when the fight was broken up." Karofsky let go of Santana and squared his shoulders. He started walking closer to me.

"Why don't we settle this right then now, Evans? Karofsky asked

Students started to stare and gather in the hall. I started walking to Karofsky when I heard a loud bang on the lockers.

"Enough!" Santana yelled. "Sam, let me explain-"

Karofsky cut in, "Yeah, tell him how I stole you away from him. It wasn't that hard. Wow, Evans. First, Finn. Now, me. You're really not worth sticking around for, if they can be taken that easy."

"Taken? You can't take anything I don't want." I looked Santana directly in the eyes. "You can have her." I said so coldly that it caused even Santana to wince.

I walked away pushing my way through the newly formed crowd. All I heard was Karofsky yelling, "Yeah, walk away, Evans!" as I pushed through the doors.

* * *

><p><em>You shouldn't fight…<em>

"Huh? What did you say Heather?"

"I said you shouldn't fight, daddy. It's not worth it. Plus, you're always so nice. I can't picture you fighting."

"You're right, Heather. Violence is never the answer."

"Just so you know, dad. Okay proceed."

I laughed. "Okay Heather, next…"

* * *

><p>My day got worst when I was called to pick up an extra shift at the pizza delivery place. My free night was gone. I called Quinn to ask her to babysit. Quinn said yes and was happy I called. Quinn came to the motel earlier then I thought she would. I told her to make herself feel at home, even though I didn't really feel at home.<p>

"How have you been, Sam?" Quinn asked

"Fine." I said quickly

"Oh, okay." Stevie and Stacy came in front and hugged Quinn. They talked about the movies that they would watch. After about ten minutes, Stevie and Stacy eventually went back, and then I was alone with Quinn again. It was awkward. I was shocked by the news that Quinn used to break the silence with.

"Finn has been distant lately. I think he still has feelings for Rachel. I saw him staring at her during Regionals." Quinn admitted.

"Well, you know what they say about karma." Quinn looked down. "What do you expect me to say, Quinn?"

"I don't know, Sam." Quinn shrugged.

"Quinn, I have to go to work." I walked out the door.

When I came back Stacy and Stevie were asleep. Quinn was awake and smiled weakly at me. "Sorry, my parents are late. They should have been here 20 minutes ago."

"That's okay." I walked Quinn outside. "Sam…I'm sorry. I don't think I ever told you." Her answer actually sounded sincere.

"Thanks for the apology, but honestly I still don't forgive you yet." Quinn looked sad, and I still hated seeing Quinn upset. I pulled her in a tight hug and she hugged me back.

After awhile, I pulled away. "Thanks, for watching them."

"Anytime. And Sam, don't listen to Karofsky. Santana and I didn't know what we had." I watched Quinn get into her car and pull off.

* * *

><p>It was my birthday. I really didn't want a big deal made of it so, I didn't tell anyone. When I got to glee, I felt tension. The tension in the room was thick and everyone was looking at me. Did they know it was my birthday?<p>

After about 15 minutes into the meeting, I was accused of cheating with Kurt and Quinn. Apparently, Finn and Rachel had been following Kurt and Quinn to the motel room. I was hurt and embarrassed. After hearing everyone put me down and attack my character, I got tired of it.

"They are just helping me out!" I explained

"Oh, so that's what we're calling it, now?" Mercedes added

I don't know why, but hearing even Mercedes come after me hurt. I finally admitted, or rather yelled, to everyone that I was homeless. Everyone was shocked. I couldn't stand it anymore. I ran out.

A couple days later, Finn and Rachel showed up at the motel room. I explained my situation and how my family got here. I told them about my plans to quit glee, so I could work more. They talked me out of it. I was still angry with them that they had indirectly forced my homelessness confession. My angry turned to joy when they handed me my guitar. The glee club had raised money to buy it from a shop it was being sold at.

I couldn't help it; I started to cry. It really didn't help my ego, but I didn't care. I had that guitar since I was five. It helped me through any problems I ever had to face. I really missed over the last couple of months. Getting it back caused a huge wave of joy to hit me. I felt like I had gotten a piece of myself back.

* * *

><p><em>Dad...<em>

I looked at Heather and noticed she was crying. "Are you okay Heather? Why are you crying?"

Heather wiped away the tears. "I'm just happy you got your guitar back. I know how much you like playing the guitar. Is it the same guitar in your room?"

I smiled. "Yeah."

"I like it when you play it. Will you play it for me later?" Heather asked

"Of course I will. Anytime for you."

Heather smiled. "Okay! What happened next?"

"Well..."

* * *

><p>The next day at school, everyone knew. My explosion about my homelessness during the glee club became the newest thing at the school. As I was opening my locker, Mercedes walked up to me with a box in her hands.<p>

"Hi, Sam."

"Hey. What's with the box?"

"Um…it's a cake. I baked it for you." Mercedes said lifting the box for me to see it.

I sighed. "Mercedes, my birthday was yesterday."

Mercedes looked confused. "Oh, I didn't know. I guess yesterday wasn't the best way to celebrate your birthday. Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I didn't want a big deal made out of it."

"Oh. Anyway, this isn't a birthday cake. It's an 'I'm sorry' cake."

"I don't want your pity, Mercedes."

"The cake has nothing to do with your situation. It's for how I treated you. I judged you and that was wrong. I should have heard your side first, instead of jumping to conclusions…" Mercedes looked directly at me. "It's strawberry shortcake."

I was surprised. "How did you know it was my favorite cake?" I asked

"I asked Mike." She shrugged.

"Thanks, Mercedes. As much as I want to take it, I don't have anywhere to put it."

"Don't laugh at me", Mercedes said sheepishly, "But I measured the dimensions of my locker to make sure the cake would fit in your locker."

"How do you know if our lockers are the same size?"

Mercedes looked shocked. "Are you kidding me right now?" She gave me the cake and walked away. Three seconds later, I heard a bang on a locker. I turned and saw Mercedes. She was three lockers behind me.

"My locker, Blondie."

I felt like an oblivious jerk. How could I have not known Mercedes and I had been locker neighbors for almost the entire school year?

"Mercedes, I'm sorry-"

"Don't be sorry, enjoy your cake." The bell rang.

"Um, I have to go Sam." She walked away. We had been in glee club together for almost the entire school year and that was the longest conversation we ever had.

As I walked to class, I looked at the signs about proms. Prom depressed me. It wasn't just that I couldn't afford to go. I was tired of the vote for Finn/Quinn posters. I was content in not going, until Rachel and Mercedes asked me on a 'prom on a budget' date.

_Dad…_

* * *

><p>"Dad! You went on prom!" Heather asked, "And you took two girls?"<p>

"Yeah, it was more of a group date that turned into a real date. Junior prom was definitely one of the most memorable times of my life."

"Why? What Happened?"

"Well…"


	6. Chapter 5: Prom, Part I

Thank-you so much to everyone for the reviews.

Here's a new chapter, so enjoy.

Please read and review!

* * *

><p>Prom was on a Saturday that year, so the students were able to get a half-day on Friday to get ready. I started walking out of school around noon, when I was stopped by Santana. She stepped in front of me so I couldn't move forward. I stared at her and she began to talk,<p>

"Sam, why won't you just listen to me? I want to explain what happened." I stepped to the side and started to walk forward. Santana followed me, while I replied,

"I don't want to talk about it. Besides, isn't your boyfriend waiting for you?"

"Let me explain." Frustration was clearly in her voice.

Silence.

"Are you ignoring me now, Sam?" Santana sounded angry, but I kept looking forward. "Fine. I thought you were one of the few people I could talk to about _things,_ but I guess I was wrong."

Silence.

Santana's voice was low now. "I miss talking to you, Sam." I looked at her. We stared at each other for a few seconds, before she walked away.

I would have never admitted it then but I did miss talking to Santana, too. We had developed this weird friendship over the past month. She once told me, she was more open with me in two weeks then she had been with others her entire life. I had kinda felt the same way. I was going to tell her about my homeless situation until the 'Karofsky incident' happened.

* * *

><p><em>Ring Ring<em>

"Dad, your phone is ringing."

"I looked down at my phone. It was another text. The text read,

"_We will still be in Cleveland tomorrow, but we're going to arrive a little later. __**Someone**__ wants to drive and take the scenic route."_

I laughed. I could only imagine his face in that very long car ride.

"Who was that, dad?" Heather asked

I smiled and tried to talk in a mysterious tone, "Your surprise."

"A surprise! Who's coming to visit me?" Heather asked excitedly

"You'll have to wait and see. Anyway, don't you want to hear about my prom experience?"

Heather nodded and I began the next part of the story.

* * *

><p>Rachel, Jesse, and I arrived at Mercedes' house around 8:00 pm. Jesse St. James had hijacked our group date with Rachel's encouragement. I knocked on the door and it opened. A guy about my height answered the door.<p>

"Are you guys here for Mercedes?" He asked

"Yeah. Hi, I'm Sam. This is Rachel and Jesse."

"I know Rach." He said while giving her a hug. He looked at Jesse "What's up, St. Jerk."

"Deshawn!" Rachel said embarrassed pulling away. I snickered, while Jesse seemed to tighten his jaw.

"It's St. James." Jesse said irritably

Deshawn shrugged his shoulders. "Not how I heard the story. Anyway, come in guys."

We walked in the foyer as Deshawn yelled upstairs that Mercedes' friends were here. He started staring at us for awhile, before extending his hand to me. As I shook it, he said "I don't think I introduced myself. I'm Deshawn, Mercedes' older brother." He let go of my hand. "Are you Mercedes' date?

I was puzzled. "Um… no and yes…it's a group date."

Deshawn laughed. "Are you sure? It looks like you're a third wheel on their date."

I turned around to see Rachel and Jesse holding hands, immersed in their own conversation. I replied, "Yeah, I guess it looks that way."

"How come I've never met you before? I met all of Mercedes' friends before. I even saw that Jesse guy at one of the competitions last year.

"I'm a transfer student from Nashville."

Deshawn nodded. "Nashville, huh? Isn't that in Nebraska?"

Geography must not be his strong suit. "Um, no…it's in Tennessee."

"Whatever, man. They're close enough. Can you do me favor and stand still for a minute?"

"Sure, but why-" I was cut off by a bright flash of light that blinded me.

"Thanks." He pulled a Polaroid out of a camera and started to shake it. "I need your picture in case I have to hunt you down." He said it in a joking matter, but I could tell he was serious.

Just then, an older man walked into the foyer. I presumed he was Mercedes' father.

"All yours, dad. Especially him." Deshawn said pointing at me, while running up the stairs.

Mr. Jones looked at us questioningly. "I thought this was a group date?"

"It is!" I said nervously. I turned around to Rachel. "Rachel, help me out here!"

"Oh! This is a group date, Mr. Jones. Jesse-" she said patting him on the arm. "came along at the last minute."

"Okay..." Mr. Jones seemed unsatisfied with her answer. "Just in case." He grabbed the camera and pointed to me. "Can you do me a favor and stand still-"

"Deshawn already took my picture." I said

"Did he also threaten to hunt you down?"

"Yes."

"Well!" Mr. Jones let out a hearty chuckle. "There's hope for the boy yet."

Deshawn came back downstairs with an older woman.

"Mom-" Deshawn said, "This is Jesse. You know, Rachel. This is…um…Nebraska."

"It's Tennessee, ma'am. I mean Sam!" I said tripping over my words.

"It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Jones!" Rachel said enthusiastically

"Nice to see you all. Mercedes is on her way down." A couple minutes later, Mercedes started to walk down the stairs. She was wearing a purple dress that she looked amazing in. My eyes went off Mercedes when I felt an elbow in the side of my arm. It was Deshawn.

He spoke lowly so only I could hear. "Nebraska, if you are not Cedes 'primary' date, then why are you smiling so hard?" The only thing I could think of doing was shrug my shoulders. "I'm watching you, Nebraska."

I looked back at Mercedes. I had not realized I was even smiling.

"You look so pretty, Mercedes!" Rachel exclaimed. Jesse and I both nodded in agreement.

"Thanks guys. You all look great, too." Mercedes seemed to be on cloud nine. I hoped prom would be a good night for all of us.

"Blah, blah, blah, everyone here is attractive. Look, I got a date and we need to wrap this up." Deshawn added

"Oh my god, Deshawn!" Mercedes said, "Can you not embarrass me for once!"

"Well-", Mrs. Jones put her hand up and he took the hint not to talk.

We took a couple of photos and started to walk out toward Rachel's dads' car. Mercedes' family watched us from the porch.

"Hey!" Mr. Jones yelled. We all stopped and turned toward him. "Rachel! Tell your dad that he still owes me $20 from the last poker game." Mrs. Jones elbowed him, and Mr. Jones put his arms up in play defense.

Mercedes groaned in embarrassment, while I laughed.

"Will do, Mr. Jones!" Rachel said.

I thought we were in the clear until Deshawn added an extra threat to me.

"Nebraska! You better have my sister back by midnight!"

"Okay, I will." I said

"Walk faster to the car!" Mercedes said briskly. While Rachel and Jesse were getting in, Mercedes turned toward me.

"Why is Jesse here? And why is my brother calling you Nebraska?

"I'll explain it on the way there."

* * *

><p>Rachel's dads dropped us off around 8:30 pm. We immediately went in line to take photos. About halfway through the wait in line, Jesse excused himself. He was still MIA when it was our turn. We took the pictures without him. I was happy, because I didn't really want him in the photos.<p>

We were sited at a table, when he came back. Everything was going good, even though Jesse mostly talked about a stupid idea of coaching show choirs. Mercedes must have thought the same thing, since she questioned the amount clients he could actually have. I tried to change the subject, but talking about my Bruce Springsteen inspired bolo tie. Jesse then scoffed about how that bolo tie popular was twenty years ago. Mercedes gave me a consoling arm rub when she saw the look on my face.

Things became more awkward when Finn and Quinn showed up. There was a verbal fight back and forth between Jesse and Finn. Thank god, Mercedes got Quinn and Finn to leave to stop the arguing.

After the actual prom started, it was amazing. I danced and laughed a lot more than I had in a long time. Puck, Artie, and I sang "Friday" by Rebecca Black. Even though it was Saturday…

* * *

><p><em>Who's Rebecca Black? Heather asked<em>

"She's the lady with black hair who cries a lot that Child Stars reality show. She was a singer back then."

"Oh! I know her. So what happened next?

"Aunt Rachel started to sing…"

* * *

><p>I was standing against the wall. Watching everyone slow dance. I noticed Mercedes was sitting alone at a table. She looked a little sad as she stared at her corsage. It was a definite change from her happy mood from earlier. I had this weird urge. I wanted to make her smile. Someone who looked that stunning underneath the dim prom light, shouldn't be sad.<p>

"Would you stop staring at her?"

I turned to my side to see Tina.

"How long have you been standing there?" I asked

"Long enough to notice you were staring at Mercedes." I blushed and tried to change the subject.

"Why aren't you dancing with Mike?"

"He's in the bathroom. Don't change the subject. Why don't you ask her to dance? She is _your_ date."

I shrugged my shoulders. I looked back at Mercedes and smiled. "She looks beautiful."

"Tell her! Not me!" She gave me a small shove.

I put my hands in my pocket and started to walk toward her. My heart was beating rapidly and I started to feel a little hot. 'Did they turn the air conditioner off? Why am I so nervous?' I thought.

When I finally reached her, I tried to say confidently,

"Mercedes…"

She looked up slightly startled, as if her thinking had been interrupted.

"You look beautiful." I said as I pulled my hand out of my pocket. "Will you dance with me?" I extended my hand toward her.

She stared at my hand for a few seconds. I started to fear she would say no.

"I'd love to", she said putting her hand into mine.


	7. Chapter 6: Prom, Part II

Thank-you everyone for the reviews.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, or anything.

* * *

><p>There was a comfortable silence between Mercedes and me as we swayed to Rachel's song. Mercedes' arms were wrapped around my neck and my hands were at her waist. The dim lighting seemed to actually illuminate Mercedes' face while the lights twirling from the disco ball seemed to slow time down. I started look at all the other couples dancing, because I felt I had been staring at Mercedes too long. I saw Mike and Tina, Finn and Quinn, then Brittany and Santana. Santana seemed happy. I wondered if Brittany was what she wanted to talk to me about yesterday.<p>

"Did my brother give you a hard time?" Mercedes asked

"Huh?" I said being my attention back. "No…well a little. He just seems really protective about you."

Mercedes sighed. "Yeah. I just wish he wasn't so obnoxious about it."

I laughed. "Give him a break. I'm sure I'm going to be the same way when Stacy is old enough to date."

"But he didn't have to ruin the beginning of my first kinda date."

I was taken back a little, while I looked in her eyes. "This is your first date?" I said shocked

Mercedes looked away embarrassed and mumbled a quick 'yes.'

I felt bad for how my question must have sounded. I lifted her chin, so she would look me back in the eyes, again. "Mercedes, it's nothing wrong with that. I was just surprised that you hadn't had a date before this."

"Why were you surprised?" Mercedes asked curiously.

"Well, you're pretty and talented. I thought you definitely would have had a date before now."

Mercedes smiled. "Pretty and talented, huh?"

It was my turn to be embarrassed. "Yeah." My face started feeling warm. "You are."

"Two compliments on my looks in the last few minutes, Evans. You're quite the charmer."

"I try." The music started to pick up as Rachel walked off the stage. I noticed Mercedes started walking towards the table, so I grabbed her arm.

"Where are you going?" I asked. "Tired of me already?"

"No!" she said quickly. "It's just the song is over."

"And there's another one starting." I smiled at her. "Come on, dance with me." I started gently tugging her arm towards me.

She smiled back and said, "I'd love to."

We started dancing. It began with us mostly swaying from side to side. But when the beat started going faster, I decided to try something. I pulled out a dance move that my dad had showed me a couple days ago. He had told me, 'This move will impress any girl!

I just started hooking my arm, when I looked back at Mercedes. She was still swaying. Mercedes had one eyebrow arched and was looking at me like I was insane. 'Great', I thought. 'I'm so getting dad back for this. He-' Mercedes cut off my thoughts with her laughter. I then heard her call me a 'crazy boy.' Then to my surprise, she started copying my dance move!

"Is that how it goes?" Mercedes asked while trying to imitate me.

"Yeah. That's perfect."

We stopped when another upbeat song started to play. When the song started, we were dancing like crazy. Maybe, it was just me. I was dancing all around Mercedes. At one point, Mercedes started doing the 'robot.' I was about to imitate her, but she put her hand up for me to stop.

She smiled and said lightheartedly, "Boy, don't even try. You don't know anything about the robot!"

I laughed. "Really? We'll have to see about that!" We had a 'robot' battle off in the middle of the dance floor.

The whole time we were battling, I kept thinking, 'Who **is** this girl? This girl is dancing like an idiot with me in front of everyone. Why didn't I notice her before?'

* * *

><p><em>Oh, no, Dad…<em>

What is it, Heather?

"You were dancing in public? I'm embarrassed and this is 15 years after it happened!" Heather exclaimed.

"Hey! You're not one to talk about bad dancing." I added.

"Dad, I know I'm a bad dancer, but I didn't dance in a room full of people."

"Anyway." I deflected. "Back to the story…"

* * *

><p>We continued to dance as the night went on. Everything was going great, until Finn and Jesse got into a fight over Rachel. They were both thrown out of prom as a result, and I noticed how defeated Quinn looked by herself. I felt bad, because I knew how much prom had meant to her.<p>

Soon after the fight, the prom king and queen were announced. Surprisingly, Karofsky won prom king. An even bigger surprise was the winner of prom queen.

When the principal announced Kurt as prom queen, the entire auditorium went quiet. My heart sank when they put a spot light on him. People began to stare at him. He ran out the side doors with Blaine running behind him. I noticed Mercedes getting ready to go after him as well, but I grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing? Kurt needs me!" Mercedes tried to pull away but I held on.

"Mercedes, wait! I think Blaine can handle it. Besides, I think Kurt just needs a little time to think."

"But-"

"Trust me. If he's not back in ten minutes, I'll go with you to find him."

Mercedes then stared angrily at the principal on stage for a few moments, before saying 'okay.'

It wasn't even ten minutes, before Kurt came back and graciously accepted his crown. Then Blaine again came to Kurt's rescue and danced with him when Karofsky walked away during the king and queen dance.

* * *

><p>"<em>I can't believe it…"<em>

"I can't believe people would be so mean to Uncle Kurt. He's one of the nicest people I know."

"I know it wasn't fair." I added. "And the principal didn't help by actually going along with it."

Heather climbed into my lap and laid her head against my chest. "Dad, does the story get better?"

"Yeah, it does. After prom was over…"

* * *

><p>I had heard from Finn that Jesse had stormed off and walked home. Rachel was nowhere to be found. Mercedes and I went out into the parking lot, and we didn't see Rachel's dads. It was 11:20 pm and I wanted to get Mercedes home by midnight.<p>

"What should we do?" Mercedes asked

I shrugged my shoulders. "Walk."

We started walking towards Mercedes house. I offered her my jacket since it was getting a little cold out. She accepted.

I said, "I forgot to say thanks for the cake. It was really good." I laughed. "Stevie snuck a piece of it. The sugar from the cake kept him awake half the night."

Mercedes laughed. "That rhymed."

"Yeah. I'm a poet, didn't you know it?" I said jokingly. "Go this way." I pointed to a side street. "It's a short cut. I have to get you home by midnight, Cinderella."

"I knew it." Mercedes mumbled shaking her head.

"Knew what?" I asked

"Rachel told you."

"Rachel told me what?" I was still confused

"Rachel told you about my 'Cinderella moment' wish." She paused and looked up at me. "I told Rachel that for once I wanted a guy to tell me I was beautiful and ask me to dance with him. You just slipped up and called me Cinderella."

Now I was looking at her. "I called you Cinderella, because your brother wanted me to have you home by midnight. I usually associate 'having a girl back by midnight' with Cinderella."

"So, you're telling me, you knew nothing about it?"

"Honestly, I knew nothing."

Mercedes looked forward and sighed. "It just seems like too big a consequence."

"Rachel didn't have anything to do with it. Did you ever think maybe your wish came true?"

Mercedes grinned. "Are you telling me, you're my wish come true, Sam Evans?"

I am pretty sure my face turned bright red. "No, I'm not saying that I'm your wish come true. I saying I was a part of making the dream come true."

"Okay, Sam"

"But I am happy I was able to be a part of your dream coming true." I reached for her hand and slipped my fingers between hers. She looked down at our hands and smiled wide.

"Also-" I added, "I have to get you home by midnight or your brother will hunt me down."

Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Nobody cares about what Deshawn says."

"Yeah. Well, I want to make a good impression on your family." I admitted

"Why?"

"Um…" At the time, I didn't really know why honestly. "Because they seem like cool people."

"Okay, Sam. I mean Nebraska."

I laughed. We walked the rest of the way back home in silence, until we reached the front porch. I looked down at my wristwatch; it was 11:57 pm. We were just on time.

"Sam, I had a really nice time."

"Me too." The porch lights flickered on and off a few times."

Mercedes sighed. "It's my brother. Just ignore him."

"Okay." We stood there for about a minute, but this time the silence was awkward.

"Can I have your phone number?" I said breaking the silence.

"Sure." She said. I handed her over my phone. She imputed her number and lifted the phone up to give back to me. "Text me, so I have your number."

"Okay." I grabbed the other end of the phone, but I didn't take it away. I looked at her and she looked back at me. About a minute had passed, and nothing was happened. So I decided to go for it.

I bent down and kissed her cheek softly. I felt it get warmer the longer I stayed. Then I realized I was lingering too long to be platonic, so I pulled away.

She smiled at me, while I put my phone in my pocket. I smiled back at her. The moment was ruined when we heard Deshawn's voice from inside the house. But somehow his voice was amplified.

"_**Nebraska, get off our property and Mercedes, get your ass in the house, now. It's past your bedtime."**_

I heard Mrs. Jones yell a 'Quit it, boy!' in the house.

"OH MY GOD!" Mercedes yelled emphasizing each word. She was mortified. "He found the bullhorn! I'm going to kill him!"

I tried holding back my laughter, especially since Mercedes was so embarrassed. But I did a horrible job, since a couple good laughs escaped my mouth. "Your family has a bullhorn?"

Mercedes looked back at me and nodded. "My dad uses it, when he goes to Cleveland Brown games." She paused. "Please, don't think my family is weird. It's just my brother."

"I don't think they're weird."

"_**Nebraska, what part of get off the porch, don't you understand? Don't they teach home training in Nebraska?"**_

Mercedes covered her face with hands. But she removed them before she yelled, "Shut up, Deshawn! Obviously you didn't learn any!" Mercedes handed me my jacket back.

I laughed. "I'm gonna go now, Mercedes." I said walking off the porch.

"Okay. Wait Sam!" I stopped in front of the porch. "Do you need a ride back? It is late."

"No, the motel is only a five minute walk from here."

"_**Don't stop. Keep walking, Romeo!"**_

"Deshawn!" Mercedes yelled. She turned toward me and said, "Okay. See you Monday, Sam."

I started walking away, while I said, "See you Monday, Cinderella."


	8. Chapter 7: A Father Son Conversation

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I love reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, or anything.

* * *

><p>The walk was a little longer than I thought, but I didn't mind. There was a cool breeze that reminded me of spring nights in Nashville. And the walk also gave me time to think. But my thinking always came back to Mercedes' porch. I was still laughing to myself about what had happened and how adorable Mercedes looked when she embarrassed.<p>

I eventually got back to the motel room around 12:20 am. Since it was so late, I tried to get in the room as quietly as possible. But sneaking into the room quietly was difficult, because the door creaked. When I did get in, I saw my mom and siblings were asleep. My dad was still awake. He was sitting on the couch reading a newspaper.

"You're a little late on reading the news, aren't you?" I asked

My dad chuckled. "I was looking over the job ads again. So, how was prom?"

I laughed.

"I hope that's a good thing. What's so funny?"

"Trust me, dad. You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I paused. "But prom was _great_." I tried to be subtle with my excitement. My dad saw through that and patted the seat next to him on the couch. "Won't believe you? Try me. I want to hear everything from beginning to end."

"Don't we have to get up early for church, tomorrow?"

"Oh, come on, Sam. You only have one junior prom. Tell the story."

I didn't have to be told again. I sat down and told the entire story. I told him everything from my performance to dancing with Mercedes to never-ending glee drama, and finally to the bullhorn incident.

"Wow. You certainly had an eventful evening." Dad said laughing

"That's an understatement." I added

"Okay, son. Back up. Did you say he used a bullhorn?" I started laughing.

"It was so funny that I forgot to be embarrassed. Even though Mercedes was embarrassed enough for the both of us."

"Mercedes? I thought the girl you were dating was named Santana?"

"No…we broke up. Well, more she left me for another guy. Some things about the whole situation that I still don't fully understand."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that."He paused. "So…who's this Mercedes girl?" He said rubbing the back of his neck.

I smiled. "She's a friend that I just had a really fun time with."

"A friend?"

"Yes, dad. Oh!" I said suddenly remembering. "I used your dance move."

Dad raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? How did it go over?"

"She laughed at first. I thought she was going to walk away but she didn't. She actually started copying the move and danced with me."

Dad patted me on the back. "You see! I told you it would work. That's how I got your mother."

"Yeah. You've told me that story _several_ times." I said as I stared forward.

"You really like this girl, huh?"

"Why would you say that?" I asked.

"You have a smile as a wide as Tennessee on your face right now." I blushed.

"Listen, Sam. Take my advice. Just _slow down_ with this one. This is the third girl I've heard about since you started that school."

"She's just a friend, dad. Tonight was the first time we really hung out." I looked at my dad, who rolled his eyes. "But I admit I think she's special."

"That's what you said about Quinn." He said reminding me.

"Yeah, I know."

"Thanks. For talking with me, Sam. I miss these." He oscillated his finger between us. I knew he was referring to our recently dwindling father-son conversations.

I felt guilty. I hadn't really talked to my parents in awhile. It was sort of ironic. You'd think living in one room together would increase communication.

"Sorry dad. I've been busy and torn between glee, football, friends, school, my job, you guys looking for jobs, and babysitting." I needed to stop and take a breath from listing so many things. "It seems like too much sometimes." I looked over at my dad. Guilt was etched on his face. Dad gave a half-smile, but it didn't help cover his expression.

"There's never enough time. Plus-" I looked down at my hands. "You, honestly, always seem to look sad and guilty. I don't like seeing the guilt on your face."

I felt my dad grab my shoulder and shake it gently. "Sam-"

"It's not your fault, Dad. I don't blame you guys. This could've happened to anyone. But I am angry sometimes." I paused to compose my thoughts. "I'm not angry with you guys. I'm just mad at…I don't know the situation." I felt a tirade coming on and I tried stopping it. "Dad..."

"Sam, get it out. Is there something you need to say? You can tell me."

"I don't think it's the appropriate time."

"Sam, tell me. What's wrong?"

"It's just that… I hate the pity looks, the side comments about me being homeless, everyone walking on eggshells around me…I hated seeing mom cry…I hate Stevie and Stacy spending any of their childhood in _here_!" I waved my hand around the room at the last confession. I looked around the room and hesitated before continuing.

I looked forward and stared out the window at dark sky. I figured that I had come this far, I should just be completely honest. "I think above it all, I hate this _motel room_." I felt my dad flinch at the emotion in my voice. It was a mixture of anger, sadness, and disgust. "Every time I wake up, I feel like I'm waking up in a bad dream." I was going to confess that sometimes I delay coming back to the room. But I refrained because that may have been too much for 12:40 in the morning.

After my confession, I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders. It was like a burden that I had been carrying around was gone. It was a great feeling, until my dad's hand fell from my shoulder. My emotions took a complete 180 degree turn. I felt like the worst son ever. I had transferred my weight to my already stressed out father. My weight became more added on guilt.

I felt the tension between us and it was thick. I regretted my confession almost instantly. Time seemed painfully slow as I waited for my dad's response. It was only a time span of a couple minutes, but it felt like forever.

For a few moments, I held my breath and felt my heart constrict. I kept thinking, 'Dad, _please_ say something.' Seemingly on cue, my dad sighed deeply as if he had let all the air flow from his body. Out the corner of my eye, I watched him lean forward with his forearms on his knees.

"I always suspected you felt that way. But to hear you confirm it…" He paused and I saw him look at me through my peripherals. I was still staring forward. "I've noticed you always come home just before curfew. Even when you're not working."

I felt _horrible_. I felt worse than Wolverine when he left Mort behind defenseless against the Sentinels in that episode of X-men. I tried to explain my actions, but instead I stammered with emotion building in my voice. "Dad, it's just…um…-"

"I am so sorry, Sam. You, Stacy, Stevie, and your mom deserve so much better than this." He covered his face with his hands muffling the next few words. "God, Sam-" He put his hands on his knees before continuing. "You're 17. You're not supposed to be supporting us. You're supposed to be having the time of your life."

"I don't mind dad!" I said backtracking. "I can help until things get better. Dad, it'll get better-", I felt his hand back on my shoulder. I finally looked at him while he squeezed reassuringly.

"Don't try to console me, Sam. I'm the parent. But you're right. It will get better. It may not be tomorrow, or next week. But it will get better." He looked down before looking back up at me. "Sam, don't ever hold your emotions in. They'll just fester. You can talk to me or your mom about it. We're here for you. You don't have to go through it alone."

I let out a low chuckle. "You're the second person to tell me that."

Dad smiled. "I'm glad someone told you. It means you have friends to talk to." Another pause. "Sam, I'm sorry this is your reality. But you have to know your mom and I are trying our best to change this." He stood up.

"I know." I said standing up, too. My dad faced me and grabbed both my shoulders. He pulled me into a tight hug. I returned the hug just as tightly. I don't know how long we stood there, but at one point my dad patted me on the back and pulled away.

"Go to bed, Sam." I looked over to the pullout couch to see Stevie sprawled out in his spot and mine.

"Just push him over a few times." Dad said, "He's asleep. He won't remember."

I laughed. "Okay dad…um…I love you." Dad looked taken back. Finally, he smiled and said,

"Sam, I love you more."

* * *

><p>On Monday, there was non-stop talk about the chaos at prom over the weekend. I tried to ignore the gossip talk in the hall, walking to my locker. When I opened my locker, a little note fell out. It read,<p>

_Nebraska,_

_Just wanted to say thanks for fun time, again._

_From_

_Three Lockers Down_

It was from Mercedes. I countered the note with my own.

_Cinderella,_

_I had fun, too. Maybe we could hang out sometime?_

_From Tennessee_

_(I'm taking charge of my nickname.)_

I slipped in the vents of Mercedes' locker.

I came back around fifth period to see a new note in my locker.

_Nebraska [it's your name in my house now. Sorry :( ]_

_I'm free afterschool…_

_From _

_Cinderella _

I was bummed when I remembered that I had to babysit. My mom had an interview.

_Cinderella,_

_I have to babysit. I'm sure you probably don't want to help?_

_From Sam _

_(I still don't understand the Nebraska nickname.)_

When I came back to my locker afterschool, I saw Mercedes slipping a note in my locker.

"What did it say?" I asked

Mercedes spun around startled. She smiled when she saw me. "It said I can babysit."

* * *

><p><em>Dad…<em>

"Yes, Heather?"

"Is it safe to say that Mercedes is the third prospect?"

"Yes, she is. Now you have all the possibilities. Do you think you know who it is?" I asked

"I'm not going to reveal my ideas just yet. Plus, I need a little more background story, so continue…"

* * *

><p>As Mercedes and I walked into the motel room, my mom was getting ready to leave out for an interview.<p>

"Hey, mom. This is Mercedes. Mercedes, this is my mom." My mom turned around and gave us a smile. "She's going to help me babysit. We are going to the park."

My mom extended her hand to Mercedes. "It's nice to meet you, dear. Sam's father told me Sam was raving about you."

I can't believe she just told her that. "Really?…thanks mom."

Mercedes took my mom's hand and shook it. "Nice to me you too, Mrs. Evans."

"Okay, Sam. I should be back by 8:00 pm. Stacy and Stevie are next door with Mrs. Johnson. I didn't know how long you would be, so I took them over there. Go over and pick them up." My mom grabbed her purse and kissed my cheek quickly." "See you later." She said walking out the door.

Mercedes and I left the room too. We grabbed Stevie and Stacy and started walking toward the park. Stevie and Stacy seemed to warm up to Mercedes quickly. They asked her a lot of questions and she answered them all patiently. When we finally reached the park, Stacy and Stevie bolted toward the slides in the playground section. We sat on a nearby bench.

"It's nice to them so excited." I admitted. Truth was I worried about Stacy and Stevie the most. I didn't want our situation to affect their childhood. Those two didn't need to grow up any faster than they already had. They had kind of become my motivation. Sometimes, I would think about them to help me pull through a late shift at the pizza place.

"Yeah. They seem to be really having fun." Mercedes said, "Look!" She pointed to Stacy. "Stacy won. They were racing down the slides. And Stevie seems to be a sore loser like his brother." Stevie was off in the distance pouting, demanding a rematch.

"I am not a sore loser. I won our dance off!" I said in fake offense. Mercedes did win, but I wouldn't admit it.

"Are you serious right now? I danced circles around you! And I could've out-danced you all night." Mercedes said dancing a little in her seat.

"Well, you couldn't dance past your bedtime…" Mercedes froze. Her cheeks seemed to have been turning a different color.

"I do NOT have a bedtime." Mercedes said, "My brother was just trying to embarrass me, and…he succeeded."

"You have to admit it was funny. I'm so borrowing the bullhorn for Stacy's first date."

"You better not do that to Stacy! I can tell you from experience, Nebraska, it's embarrassing."

"Why did the Nebraska nickname stick? First, Trouty Mouth, now this. I mean I've never even been to Nebraska!"

Mercedes laughed. "My dad even refers to you as Nebraska now. Did you know my dad gave my brother a high-five and an advance in his allowance for using the bullhorn on us?"

"It may not seem like it, but they love you, Mercedes." I sighed, "So, the nickname Nebraska isn't going away is it?"

Mercedes shook her head. "Sometimes, nicknames have to grow on you. Well, you know Magneto and Professor X didn't really care for their names at first. It grew on them."

"You watch, X-Men?" I asked surprised

"Yeah. I watched the cartoon and the movies. I love superhero movies in general."

"Me too! I used to go watch all of them on their opening days all the time. Which is your favorite?"

"That's hard! But X-Men: First Class was amazing. What about you?"

I thought hard about my answer. There were a lot of superhero movies, but one stood above the rest. "The Dark Knight."

"DC? Really Sam?" She teasingly rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'm more of a Marvel girl. But I guess we can still make this friendship work." I took the opportunity to grab her hand.

"Oe fpìl ayoeng tsun, Mercedes." She smiled.

"What did you just say? What language was that?"

"Um…do you know the Avatar movie?"

"Yeah. I love that movie. Wait, were you speaking their language?"

"Yes…you probably think it's dorky."

"No! Boy, you're really good. You sound fluent." Mercedes paused. "But what did it mean?"

I smiled. I said 'I think we can, Mercedes."

* * *

><p><em>Stomach growls<em>

I heard Heather's stomach growl. I glanced at the clock and saw it was 8:07 pm. "Heather! I've been telling this story since 5:00 pm. We didn't even eat dinner yet."

"I don't need food! Tell the rest of the story. What happens next?" Heather exclaimed

"You don't need food? I think you stomach begs to differ." Heather's stomach growls again. "Heather, we'll eat sandwiches and call it a night."

Heather sighed. "Okay…"

I went to the kitchen and made sandwiches. I made Heather's first. By the time I made mine, Heather had already eaten hers. "Wow, Heather. You inhaled it."

"I still have 40 minutes before 9:00 pm." Heather said running back into her room. Ten minutes later, Heather was in her pajamas and had her notepad in hand. "Daddy, it's 8:30 pm and I want to hear more. I'm ready for bed already, so you have no excuse!"

"No excuse? Besides, the fact I'm still eating?"

"Daddy, please! Please! Please!" Heather whined. I vaguely remembered from psychology class that you're not supposed to give in to whining, because it would reinforce the behavior. But I couldn't say no to her puppy dog eyes. I put my plate down and started walking to walk back to Heather's room.

"Okay, sweetheart. Let's see if I can fit Nationals in a half-hour…"


	9. Chapter 8: New York!

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I love reading them.

'New York' was supposed to be two parts, but I combined them. So, this chapter is a little longer than usual.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the song in this chapter, or anything.

* * *

><p>We still hadn't come up with original songs for Nationals and the competition was rapidly approaching. I looked down at my notebook. The only thing I had written was a doodle of a running football player. <em>Epic Fail. <em>I looked around the room and none of the guys were doing any better. Puck was watching TV. Artie looked frustrated scanning a dictionary. Mike was grinning at his phone, probably a text from Tina. Finn looked like he was in deep thought staring out the window. At least, I thought it was a deep thinking. He had a spacey look on his face, but he had that look a lot.

"Hey, Evans! Pass the chips!" I tossed the bag to Puck, who began to devour them. While he was eating them down, he dropped a couple chips on the floor. Then picked them up, yelled 'three second rule', and ate them.

"That's gross, man." Mike said disgusted

"What's the three second rule?" Artie asked

"If your food drops on the floor and is picked up within three seconds, it's still okay to eat." Puck said continuing to eat.

"I agree with Mike, that's gross." I added picking up my guitar.

"Guys, I need your advice about Rachel." Finn said pulling his gaze away from the window.

Finn told us he wanted to get Rachel back. But he wasn't sure what to do-

* * *

><p><em>I'm confused…<em>

"What happened to possible mommy #1, Quinn?" Heather asked

"He broke up with her at the funeral of Sue's sister. Sue was the cheer coach."

"Ouch…so Finn chose Aunt Rachel over Quinn?

I sighed. "I guess he did."

"That had to hurt." Heather added. "It was kind of karma in a way, though. What happened next?"

* * *

><p>Everyone tried to give advice their own advice. Mike suggested being straightforward. Artie suggested flowers. Puck suggested a movie date, specifically a romantic comedy. But he forewarned watching 'a god awful romantic comedy could cause you to feel like you've grown a vagina.' My advice was simple. Like Santana, I told him to go for it. Well, my exact words were, 'If I was totally in love with a girl, and I wasn't homeless, I'd go for it.'<p>

Something about what I had just said didn't sit right with me. Should being homeless really stop me from dating? I didn't know how long I would be in my situation. Should I put my life on hold? Then I pushed the thoughts out of my head and listened to Finn. We finally came up with a plan and we all agreed to help.

After making the plan, we all went back to song writing. But I couldn't even come up with one idea. My mind kept wandering back to Mercedes. I had been thinking about her a lot lately. We had been hanging out whenever I was off from my job. We texted back and forth all the time. We could talk for hours about anything and had a lot in common. I just liked being around her. Then it hit me, like a ton of bricks. I _liked_ her. I, Sam Evans had feelings for Mercedes Jones. At my realization, I decided to take my own advice and go for it. I was going to ask her out.

Slowly, one by one, the guys started leaving the room. Mike left to hang out with Tina. Finn went for a walk. Artie went to go talk to Brittany. I didn't want to know what Puck and Lauren were doing. When I was alone, I called Mercedes and asked her to meet me outside in 15 minutes. But I decided to leave early since I'd been stuck in the room all day.

When I got out of the elevator, I walked toward the front doors. _Sweet freedom! _I was about to walk out, but I saw Quinn in the lobby. She looked extremely sad. I didn't feel right leaving without seeing if she was okay.

I walked over and sat in the chair opposite of her. "Quinn, are you okay?"

Silence.

"Quinn?" I asked worried

"Please, Sam. Just go away." Quinn said strained. She sounded emotionally exhausted.

I pulled my chair closer so I was directly in front of her.

"Talk to me, Quinn."

"Why do you even care?" Quinn asked coldly

I ignored her tone, because I could tell she was hurting. "I still care about you, Quinn and you look like you've been crying. Why are you in the lobby?"

"I couldn't stand being in that room anymore."

"What's wrong, Quinn?" She looked away.

I grabbed both her hands and squeezed them reassuringly. She looked startled by the gesture, but didn't fight it. "Talk to me. What's wrong?"

Quinn looked at me and sighed. "Everything", she finally admitted. "I lost prom queen, the 'caboosey incident', and then…Finn left me for _Rachel,_ again!" I flinched a little at the anger in her voice directed at Rachel. "Sam, I'm just so tired of things never going right for me. I just want my old life back. I want Finn. I want to be a cheerleader. But it never works out." She closed her eyes and emphasized her next sentence. "And I'm so angry all the time. I try to hold it in but it's hard sometimes." She opened her eyes and chuckled softly, "I guess it comes out in my 'scary Quinn' moments. I heard you guys calling me that sometimes."

"Don't hold it in, Quinn." I said seriously. "Someone once told me not to hold my emotions in, they'll just fester." I said quoting my father. "How long have you felt this way?"

"A long time, Sam. Even before you came around." I started to think about what it could've been. My thinking was almost in vain, since I hadn't been there. But I had heard about the baby and the adoption. I imagine giving up your baby could have this kind of emotional impact.

I rubbed her hands before asking, "Does it have anything to do with the baby? Beth?"

Quinn took in a sharp breath, which turned into heavy breathing. Quinn had started crying. Her breathing calmed down after couple minutes. I held her hands as she pulled herself together. She was still crying but she started telling me a story.

"When I went into labor, I was so afraid. Sam, I was scared and it _hurt_. It was the worst time of my life, until I heard her cry. I heard my baby cry. It was beautiful. Then I realized there was a little person alive. She was alive because of _me_. And when-" Quinn was now smiling. "the doctor put her in my arms, I felt it. You know that instant mother-baby moment, you see in the movies? _I felt it_." She said with emotion as she squeezed my hands. "I felt it and it was real. The love was real and she was beautiful. But then a week later, my baby was gone." She looked down at our hands. "I thought if I could get my old life back…I would be happy again. I was wrong. I was _so wrong_." Quinn looked like she was going to cry again, so I pulled her into a hug.

"Quinn, you need to talk to someone about this. You shouldn't have to feel angry." I knew the next question was a little selfish, but I wanted to know. "If you wanted your old life back, why date me?"

I felt her hand tilt into the side of my neck. "Sam, you were a pleasant surprise. I thought for a while being with you could make me happy."

"I didn't?" I said sadly

"You did, but being with Finn gave me normalcy. It reminded of a life before Beth. I could pretend I was never pregnant and it never happened." Quinn paused. "Can you stay with me, Sam? I don't want to be alone." My heart broke at how sad her voice sounded.

"I can't. I have to go."

"What about later?"

"I…um…have plans." Guilt causing me to stammer.

Quinn pulled back slightly and looked at me questioningly. "What are you doing? You know, we're not allowed to leave the hotel."

I tried to play it off. "It's nothing, Quinn. It's not that interesting. Besides, didn't you suggest before that we let the city inspire us?"

"Yeah, but I don't feel like going out. But I don't want to be alone." Quinn looked me in the eyes. "Tell me, Sam. I just revealed my soul to you." She said laughing.

I sighed deeply. I didn't want to hurt her anymore but I really didn't want to lie. So I told her the truth. "The guys and I are going to help Finn on his date with Rachel."

Quinn now pulled away completely and sunk down in her chair. She looked like she'd just been hit in the face. Quinn crossed her arms and shook her head. "Of course, he goes running back to her." Quinn got up and started walking away. "Bye Sam." She had reached the elevator, before I yelled,

"Quinn!" She turned around in front of the elevator. "Talk to someone." Quinn nodded and walked in the elevator. Then I ran outside, because I was pretty sure I was running late to meet Mercedes.

* * *

><p><em>I have a question…<em>

"If Quinn is my mother, I have a sister too?" Heather asked

"If Quinn is your mother, you do have a sister."

"Wow. I just wanted to clarify. Okay continue…"

* * *

><p>I saw Mercedes as soon as I stepped through the doors. She was sitting on the bottom step, and she looked sad, too. 'Why are all the girls sad?' I thought. I walked down the stairs and sat down next to her.<p>

"Hey, 'Cedes." I said gently nudging her with my elbow.

"Hi Sam." She said plainly. 'She was happy on the phone.' I thought. 'What had happened between then and now?'

"Sam? No, Nebraska or Blondie?" I asked

She shrugged her shoulders and looked forward.

Mercedes was being distant and I didn't know why. I fiddled with my thumbs, while I asked "Mercedes, do you want to take a walk?"

She gave me a half-smile. "Sure."

* * *

><p>We had been walking for ten minutes in silence. I was worried because Mercedes was usually more talkative. I knew something was wrong.<p>

"'Cedes, are you okay?" I asked concerned

"Yeah, I'm fine Sam." I didn't believe her.

"I don't think you are. You were happy a half-hour ago. I heard it in your voice."

"It's just that-", Mercedes looked like she was having a hard time saying whatever she was saying. "I saw you with Quinn." She looked off to the side.

'Wait…' I thought, 'Did I hear jealousy in her voice?'

She continued, "You should go back to her. Whatever this is we have going on, isn't that serious yet."

"It isn't?" I asked. I thought it was. I think Mercedes was lying. She playing our relationship down to let me off the hook.

"Well, I know you really like her and Quinn really liked you…I want you both to be happy." Mercedes said dejectedly.

"I really _liked_ Quinn." I said trying to emphasize the past tense, but Mercedes obviously didn't hear it.

"I saw you guys and I saw the emotion there." Mercedes added. "Look, I get it. She's pretty, she's blonde, and she's Barbie."

I laughed. "Did you just call Quinn, Barbie?"

"I did." She admitted sheepishly. "You're Ken. You guys belong together."

"Who are you?" I asked. I was ready to play this game.

"What?" Mercedes asked confused.

I explained, "Quinn is Barbie. I'm Ken. Who's Mercedes?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I guess I'm the black doll. I'm Keisha."

I nodded. "Okay, then. Keisha should know that Ken used to like Barbie. Ken used to like Barbie a lot. But Ken and Barbie weren't right for each other."

Mercedes laughed. "Because Barbie left Ken for G.I. Joe."

"Wait! Time out! Why am I Ken and Finn gets to be G.I. Joe? That's not fair." I asked. I know it was childish, but I wanted to be the more masculine toy.

"Well, you know, Keisha thinks Ken is cuter then G.I. Joe." Mercedes admitted

I grinned. "Ken always thought Keisha was hot." Mercedes was blushing. I grabbed her arm and turned her toward me. I bent down and I kissed her. I could tell she was shocked, but when I pulled away she was smiling. At that moment, I knew one thing for sure. I wasn't going to just ask her out anymore; I was going to ask her to be my girlfriend. I could hear my dad's voice in my head telling me to take it slow, but I didn't want to. I wanted to be with her.

I smiled. "So, Keisha, would you consider being Ken's girlfriend?" I asked.

The smile on my face didn't compare to the smile on hers. "I would love to."

I pulled her into a tight hug and held on. "Mercedes, I can't wait to tell everyone."

Mercedes sighed. "You know I wanted to tell everyone too, but maybe we should wait until after Nationals. Last thing, glee club needs is something else to talk about."

As much as I wanted to tell everyone, she was right. Glee club didn't need any more drama or distractions, considering we still hadn't written any songs to sing. "Okay, 'Cedes. It'll stay between us. _For now_."

* * *

><p>The 'Finn and Rachel date' ended badly. After Finn took her to dinner, they went for a walk. During the walk, Puck played the accordion. He, Artie, Mike, and I sang 'Bella Notte' as we followed Finn and Rachel. Everyone agreed it would be romantic. But it apparently wasn't romantic enough, for Rachel to go back to Finn. Rachel left Finn looking dumbfounded on the sidewalk.<p>

When we got back to the hotel, we found out was leaving us for Broadway. When he came back with pizza, we confronted him. But we also encouraged him to follow his dreams. Then he told us that his moment on stage was glorious but we all had unfinished business. To my surprise, we were able to write songs that night. We were ready for Nationals.

On the day of Nationals, I was a nervous wreck. I didn't know why, since I would be mostly in the background during the performance. Maybe it was because I had never performed in front of a crowd so big.

"Come down, Blondie." Mercedes said. I turned around and smiled.

"You look amazing."

"You look like a nervous wreck." Mercedes added.

"Great." I dragged my hands over my face. " I look how I feel."

"You'll do great. You were great at Sectionals and you'll be great now." She looked around backstage. I wondered what she looking for. "I don't see anyone from glee." She hugged me. "Don't worry, Sam. Have fun." She said pulling away. "Come on, Sam. We're next!"

Our Nationals performance was great considering the songs were less than 24 hours old. Everyone was great and we were all in sync. But when everyone, except Finn and Rachel, turned their backs to the audience in our last move, no clapped. 'What happened? ' I thought. 'We did great!' Then I heard a single distant slow clap in the background. Then the applause came. Everyone started celebrating with each other. I saw Mercedes. I knew it would be suspicious since she was across the stage. But I didn't care. I wanted to hug and celebrate with my girlfriend. I ran across the stage and hugged her.

We later found out Finn and Rachel had shared a kiss at the end of our performance in front of the judges. Everyone was upset with them. I had hoped it didn't negatively affect our scores. We all walked together to the score board. looked and I could tell by his body language it wasn't good. We didn't make top 10. We placed 12th.

When we got back to the hotel, Santana lost it. She would have tried to hurt Rachel if Mike, Quinn, and I hadn't held her back. We all knew she was saying bad things to Rachel in Spanish. But only Santana and knew exactly. I was impressed when Rachel stood her ground and took the verbal lashing. After a while, Santana still hadn't stopped. No one could calm her down except Brittany. We all left the room so Brittany could comfort and calm Santana down.

On the plane ride home, I got paired with Puck. It wasn't bad until he started snoring. Loudly. I was still bummed about losing at Nationals. A year's worth of work was gone in a flash. I looked diagonally and saw Mercedes sleeping. I smiled. We may have lost the competition but I got the girl.

* * *

><p>It was Monday. The first bell was going to ring in about 10 minutes. I waited by my locker for Mercedes but she wasn't there yet. I really wish she would hurry, because I wanted to see her before 1st period. I was taken out of my thoughts, by loud kissing sounds being made by people in the hall.<p>

"Hey, Lesbos, walking through!" Azimio yelled.

I looked up and saw Brittany and Santana. They were walking down the hall holding hands. Other students were snickering and taunting them. But they pulled through. They also ignored Azimio and kept walking. Then I looked back at Azimio, who was pulling a slushie out his locker. Even though I was still angry with Santana, this was not going down on my watch. I charged over to him and threw the slushie to the ground.

"What the hell, Evans!" Azimio yelled.

"You leave them alone. Or next time, the slushie won't be the only thing going to the ground." I said loudly

"Is that a threat?"

"Take it the way you want." I said and walked away. I started walking down the hall to my first class when I heard Santana call my name. I turned around and I saw Santana running to me.

She caught up. "Sam. I just wanted to say thank-you." Santana said sincerely

"Your welcome. I have to go." I said quickly. I really didn't want to talk. She grabbed my arm.

"Sam…are we okay?" Santana asked lowly

"I have to go Santana." I walked into my class.

It was third period when I walked back to my locker. I still hadn't seen Mercedes. I texted her, but she hadn't texted me back. While I was grabbing books out my locker, I could feel someone staring at me. I heard someone say "Santana is an onion." I closed my locker and was startled by Brittany.

"Whoa, Brittany! Could you give forewarning next time?" I asked

"Santana is an onion." Brittany repeated

"What?"

"Santana is like an onion because she has layers. Her many layers make her complicated." Brittany explained

I knew I had heard that analogy somewhere. "Are you quoting Shrek?" I asked

"Yes, because what he said was wise. Also, it applies." Brittany added

"That rhymed."

"What rhymed?"

I shook my head. "Nothing, Brittany. I really don't want to talk about this."

"You need to talk about this." Brittany insisted. "Santana misses you and I think you miss her too. You were a really good friend to her."

I sighed. Sooner or later this was going to happen. I should just get it over with. "Okay, Brittany explain."

"Santana is a complicated person. You and I may not always understand her actions, but you should know that she wasn't trying to hurt you. She really needs your support now that we are coming out to the school. She needs her friend."

I nodded. "You guys have my support. Santana was a friend, which is why the Karofsky incident hurt." Brittany nodded.

"Just try to forgive her Sam. If not for her, for you."

"Wow. That was wise, Brittany." I said impressed.

"I may not be smart, Sam. But I'm intuitive." Brittany said walking away.

* * *

><p>Brittany's words were bouncing around in my head for the next two periods. I really wasn't fair to Santana. What she did was wrong, but I never let her explain. Around sixth period, I went back to my locker. To my surprise, Mercedes was at hers.<p>

"Where have you been?" I asked. "I texted you."

"I've been at school all day. Sorry, I left my phone at home." Mercedes said

"Really? Where were you this morning?"

Mercedes smiled. "I was running late. But when I came, I saw telling Azimio off."

I hadn't even seen her. "You saw that?

"Yeah. I was kind of proud." She said nudging me with her elbow. "I heard you were standing up for Brittany and Santana."

"I couldn't stand by and let it happen. Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to tell the glee club today?"

Mercedes sighed. "Um…after the whole Santana and Brittany thing, I think we should wait. I don't want to go through that. Or add any more drama."

"No one will say anything to you. I'll make sure of it." I tried to reassure her.

"Let's just tell them next school year. I mean this year will be over in a couple weeks. Plus, it can stay between us. It'll be special."

I was disappointed. "If that's you want to do, we can do it."

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon at glee club, I walked in with Kurt. I saw Mercedes and there was a free seat next to her. I was walking toward it, but Kurt beat me to it. I smiled at her and Mercedes sent me an apologetic smile. Kurt eyed me suspiciously, so I turned around quickly. I sat in front of Mercedes in the front row. Everyone was pretty quiet. I think everyone was still pretty somber from the loss, except Santana and Brittany. I noticed Brittany had seemed to be comforting a panicked Santana. I thought I heard Santana say 'I don't want to put myself out there.' But I brushed it off. I assumed it had something to do with what had happened earlier. Then I heard her tell Santana, that she could do this. My attention turned to when he came in with the 12th place trophy. Somehow, it lighten everyone's mood.<p>

After finished congratulating us, he started telling about the next assignment. But Santana interrupted asked if she could sing a song. Mr. Schue told her of course. Puck got up with her. He went to the background to play guitar.

"I want to sing to Sam." Everyone was staring at me now. And even though I couldn't see her, I felt Mercedes' eyes burning a hole in my back. " Sam, I did something bad and it cost us our friendship. I hope you forgive me one day. This song reminds me of us, even though I hope it doesn't remain our story. Go ahead, Puck."

Puck started playing the guitar, and Santana started to sing. I knew the song. It was "The Story of Us" by Taylor Swift. Santana was right. This was the perfect song to describe us. If she had just talked to me, neither of us would have gotten hurt. Throughout the song, Santana seemed to emphasize parts of the song that were especially relevant to us.

_I used to think one day we'd tell the story of us,  
>How we met and the sparks flew instantly,<br>People would say, "They're the lucky ones."  
>I used to know my place was a spot next to you,<br>Now I'm searching the room for an empty seat,  
>'Cause lately I don't even know what page you're on.<em>

Oh, a simple complication,

_**Miscommunications lead to fall-out.**__  
>So many things that I wish you knew,<br>__**So many walls that I can't break through**__._

_Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room and __**we're not speaking**__,  
><em>_**And I'm dying to know is it killing you like it's killing me, yeah?**__  
>I don't know what to say, since <em>_**the twist of fate when it all broke down**__,  
>And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now.<br>__  
><em>_Next chapter._

How'd we end up this way?  
>See me nervously pulling at my clothes and trying to look busy,<p>

_**And you're doing your best to avoid me**__.  
>I'm starting to think one day I'll tell the story of us,<br>How I was losing my mind when I saw you here,  
><em>_**But you held your pride like you should've held me.**_

Oh, I'm scared to see the ending,

_**Why are we pretending this is nothing?  
>I'd tell you I miss you but I don't know how,<br>I've never heard silence quite this loud.**_

Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room and

_**we're not speaking,**__  
><em>_**And I'm dying to know is it killing you like it's killing me, yeah?**__  
>I don't know what to say, since the twist of fate when it all broke down,<br>And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now._

_**This is looking like a contest,  
>Of who can act like they care less,<strong>__  
>But I liked it better when you were on my side.<br>The battle's in your hands now,  
>But I would lay my armor down<br>If you said you'd rather love than fight.  
>So many things that you wished I knew,<br>But the story of us might be ending soon._

Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room and

_**we're not speaking,  
>And I'm dying to know is it killing you like it's killing me, yeah?<strong>__  
>I don't know what to say, <em>_**since the twist of fate when it all broke down,  
><strong>__And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now, now, now.  
>And we're not speaking,<br>And I'm dying to know is it killing you like it's killing me, yeah?  
>I don't know what to say, since the twist of fate 'cause we're going down,<br>__**And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now.**_

_The end._

I knew that took a lot of courage for Santana to do. She usually needed someone to sing with her whenever she sang about anything personal. Santana was looking at me. I sighed. I was tired of being angry with her. Brittany got up to go comfort Santana, but I stopped her.

"No, Brit. I have something to say." I said standing up. Brittany nodded and sat back down. "Santana, you are my friend and I do miss you. This is partially my fault, because I could've given you the time of day to explain. I forgive you and I'm sorry."

I walked over and hugged Santana. She hugged me back and laid her head on my shoulder. I heard some claps and some 'awwws', but I did notice Quinn storm out the room. _What now? _I pulled away and we walked back to our seats. As Puck was walking back he said,

"Everyone can we stop the love fest. The amount of sappiness in this room is too high for my comfort." Everyone laughed. Then Mr. Schue told us that he decided to cancel the last assignment, since we did so well at Nationals.

* * *

><p>After school, I walked back to my locker. As I was exchanging my books, I had another eerie feeling someone was watching me. I closed my locker and Quinn was staring at me.<p>

"Quinn!" I yelled startled. "Why is everyone sneaking up on me?"

"So she sings you a song and you forgive her. What about me?" Quinn asked angrily. "I asked you to forgive me _months_ ago. I even helped you babysit. Why won't you forgive _me_?"

"It's different." I said

"How is it different? Because she was open? I told you about my secrets a couple of days!" Quinn put her hands in the air to emphasize the point. "How are we different?"

"She broke our friendship. You broke my heart." I said truthfully. Quinn looked stunned about what I had just admitted. "Santana and I happened because I was trying to get back at you." Again, Quinn was speechless.

"Also, I gave you a promise ring." I added.

"Yeah, I still have it." Quinn admitted. Now, I was surprised. "I made a necklace out of it."

Quinn lifted up the necklace around neck to reveal the pendant. It was the ring I had given her.

"Why did you keep it?" I asked. Quinn shrugged her shoulders.

"It reminds me that good guys existent." I watched as Quinn played with the ring between her fingers. "Sam, tell me when you're ready to forgive me." Quinn walked away.

I banged my head against my locker. "McKinley girls are crazy."

"McKinley girls are what?" Mercedes asked leaning on the locker next to mine.

"Nothing. What's up?"

"Nothing. Except, you know, another girl sang a song to my boyfriend in glee today." Mercedes said

"She sang it to save our platonic friendship." I added

"It didn't seem so platonic at Rachel's party a couple months." I stared at Mercedes. She was serious.

"Are you jealous?" I said smiling.

"No. But I wanted to sing to you."Mercedes said lowly

"And I want to kiss you right now, but I can't." Mercedes giggled. "Come on, let's go. I've had enough of this school for one day."

* * *

><p>Mercedes and I walked to coffee shop holding hands. It was nice until we saw Kurt and Blaine in the window. We decided to tell them that we met in the parking lot. When we walked in, they saw us immediately. We all talked about summer plans. Kurt was writing a play about Pippa Middleton. Blaine was trying out for a Six Flags gig. After the conversation was over, Mercedes and I walked over to the line.<p>

"Do you think they know?" Mercedes asked.

I looked back and they were engrossed in each other. "Nobody knows."

We held each other's hands as we waited in line.

* * *

><p>"<em>Alright…"<em>

"…Heather, it's time for bed." It was 9:10 pm. "We went over again."

"Okay, dad. Thanks for telling me more." Heather put her notebook down and got under the covers. "Good night."

"Good night, sweetheart." I went back to the living room to finish my sandwich. I waited until about 10 pm, when I was sure she was asleep. I walked back in her room quietly and packed her an overnight bag. They would be here tomorrow to come pick her up.


	10. Chapter 9: Shooting Star

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the quotes in this chapter, or anything.

P.S.- Someone asked what movie this fanfic was based off. The movie is "Definitely, Maybe."

* * *

><p>The day went by quickly. I picked Heather up and we got back home around 5:00 pm. Heather's surprise visitors would be here by 6:00 pm so I thought we would skip the story tonight. Apparently, Heather didn't have the same idea. Because when we got in the house, Heather ran to the kitchen and tried to grab a box of cereal.<p>

"Why are you running?" I asked

"Dad, I want to hear more of the story. So can you make me a bowl of cereal? That can be a quick dinner, so we can start the story. I don't want to waste any time, since my surprise is coming soon." Heather said while eagerly pointing to the box of Honey Nut Cheerios on the shelf.

"Cereal? For dinner?"

"Please, Dad!"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Okay." I made Heather a bowl of cereal that she ate quickly. After eating her cereal, Heather ran into her room to grab her notebook and came back to sit on the couch.

"Ready, Daddy!" She said flashing her notebook.

"You really don't want to waste any time, do you?" I said sitting on the couch

"Dad. This is my mother we are talking about! I need to know this story."

"Okay. Heather." I said drumming my fingers against my leg. I had no idea at what part of the story to continue on. "I would tell you about the summer before my senior year, but it was really just me working and dating Mercedes."

"Tell me it all!" Heather said with enthusiasm.

"Tell you about _all_ the dates and working?" I asked. I would tell her, but I couldn't fit an entire summer in an hour.

"Well…which date was your favorite?" Heather asked.

"Wow. Good Question." I had to think about it, because I enjoyed all my dates with Mercedes. They were my favorite parts of that summer. But there was one date in particular that stuck with me.

"It was about early August. I had gotten off work, so Mercedes and I decided to take a walk through Lima Park…"

* * *

><p>"Sam, let's sit over here." Mercedes said pointing to a park bench.<p>

We sat down and looked up at the sky. It seemed like there were more stars out than usual that night. I felt Mercedes lean against my shoulder.

"Wow, Sam. There are so many stars out tonight." Mercedes said with awe. "It's so beautiful."

"You're beautiful." I countered.

Mercedes rolled her eyes. "That was so corny."

"You liked it."

Mercedes smiled. "I did."

"You just admitted you like my corniness."

Mercedes laughed, while hugging my arm. "Whatever, Sam."

There was a comfortable silence between us as we watched the stars. They were really bright that night. It was the kind of starry sky you usually see in the country rather than a polluted city. It was like Christmas lights had lined in the sky.

"Sam, have you ever seen a shooting star?" Mercedes asked.

"Once. When I was younger, I was in my backyard. We were still in Nashville. My mom and I were looking at the stars." I smiled at the memory. "The stars were bright like they are now. I didn't notice the shooting star at first, but my mom showed it to me. She said, 'Sam, look it's a shooting star! Make a wish!'"

"What did you wish for?" Mercedes asked

"I wished my grandfather would feel better. He was really sick back then."

"Oh. How is he now?"

"He's great. He and my grandmother still live in their corner house in Nashville." I really missed my grandparents. Thinking about not being around them made me sad. I especially missed my grandfather's stories and my grandmother's cooking.

"Your wish came true!" Mercedes exclaimed. "That's so nice. I thought I saw a shooting star once, but it was just an airplane. Deshawn got a good laugh on my account."

I gave a weak laugh. Mercedes nudged me in the side.

"What's wrong? That was a sad laugh."

"I was thinking about my grandparents. I really miss them, 'Cedes. We can't even go down and visit them this Christmas. My parents can't afford the trip." I admitted sadly.

"I'm so sorry, Sam." Mercedes said sincerely. "I really wish there was something I could do to make you feel better. I hate seeing you so sad."

"Cedes, you being next to me always makes me feel better." I paused. "Running makes me feel better, too. It just seems to help me clear my mind."

"When's the last time you went running?"

"I haven't run in a while. I used to run early every morning, but the motel room just kind of gets the best of me. I feel depressed when I wake up and go back to sleep until I need to get ready for school."

"Sam, you should really start running, again, if that makes you feel better."

I turned to the side and kissed her forehead. "Enough about me. Let's talk you, even though I already know everything."

Mercedes snorted. "Please, boy, you do not know everything about me."

"Your favorite singer is a tie between Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston. Your favorite food is tots. Your favorite movie is Sparkle. Your favorite color is yellow, but everyone thinks it's purple. You love the beach, even though you've only been once when you were little. You've seen the X-Men trilogy nine times, including those two times with me. I could go on but we don't have that much time." Mercedes rolled her eyes at the smug look on my face.

"Again, whatever Sam. I know you too." Mercedes countered

"Really? Name five things."

"Your favorite movie is Avatar-"

"Everyone knows that-" Mercedes put a finger to my lips.

"I'm not finished. Your favorite color is red. You used to love pizza, prior to working at a pizza place. Your preferred genre of music is rock n' roll, even though you grew up in country music's capital. And you secretly want to play football for the Tennessee Titans one day."

I looked at Mercedes. "I never told you that last one."

Mercedes shrugged her shoulders. "It wasn't hard to figure out. It's the way you talk about football, and how much I know you love to play it. Plus, another fact, you're a huge Tennessee Titans fan. Even though your girlfriend is a Cleveland Browns fan."

I playfully sighed. "I guess we can still make this work." I said quoting Mercedes.

Mercedes laughed. "You should come over one Sunday to my house. My family loves to watch football. I'm sure you'll fit right in."

"I'd like that."

"Okay, Sam. Make a wish." I looked up.

"Why 'Cedes? There's no shooting star." I looked down at Mercedes confused.

Mercedes laughed. "Boy, just pick any star!

"You're supposed to make a wish on the shooting star." I insisted

"_Sam._ _There wouldn't be a sky full of stars if we were all meant to wish on the same one._" Mercedes said grandly

"Wow. Where did you hear that?" I asked impressed

"It was a quote I heard before. Come on! Let's both make a wish for something we want." Mercedes closed her eyes and I followed suit.

Mercedes started. "I wish that I become a world famous singer someday."

"And I wish-" I paused thought for moment. "that I become a player in the NFL one day."

We both opened our eyes. I looked down at Mercedes, who was smiling. "See Sam? Was that so hard?"

"No. But I wish reaching your dreams was as easy as wishing on a star."

"It could be when the wish is coming from a person as amazing as you are."

I laughed. "Wow. Mercedes, you almost beat me in the corny department."

"Yeah. I guess I did." Mercedes said sheepishly

"I said almost Mercedes. You aren't the only one who knows fancy quotes." I turned completely toward Mercedes breaking her embrace around my arm. I placed my hand gently on her cheek and looked directly in her eyes. I assumed the stare must have been a little intense, since she looked down. I lift her chin with my finger so she looked directly in my eyes, again.

I said majestically_, "Mercedes, I look at you, f__or my eyes have been mistaken, for this to be true, an Angel so low, an Angel so bright, for it's as if God himself, has stolen two stars from the night sky and hid them within your eyes, so one day you shall see the beauty within, the Angel I see, but above all, you have became, the Angel of my heart..." _I leaned down and kissed her.

I pulled away and smiled at her. "You must have thought that was really corny." I said tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

Mercedes shook her head. "No, Sam. That was amazing."

I leaned back down to kiss her again, but before I did, I said, "I meant every word of it."

* * *

><p><em>Door Bell Rings<em>

"Dad. That was so romantic." Heather said sighing.

I chuckled as I walked to answer the door. I opened the door to a man who had been one of my close friends ever since the day he kept the secret of my homelessness.

"Come in, Kurt. It's nice to see you."

"You too, Sam"

I noticed someone was missing. "Where's Blaine?"

"Oh. He'll be here in a minute, he's parking the car." He paused and rolled his eyes. "The same car he wanted to drive here all the way from New York!" Kurt scoffed. "I love him to death, but that wasn't his best idea. Anyway, where's my little Heather?"

I pointed toward the living room.

"Heather!" Kurt yelled walking toward the living room.

I heard Heather scream and then run. She must have recognized his voice.

"Uncle Kurt!" Heather yelled jumping into his arms. "I missed you!"

Kurt picked her up and held her close, "I've missed you, too."


	11. Chapter 10: Surprise!

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, or anything.

* * *

><p>"What are you doing here? I thought I was going to have to wait until July to see you. Oh my gosh, is Uncle Blaine and Aunt Rachel here too?" Heather asked enthusiastically.<p>

Kurt laughed as we all walked in the living room. "I'm here for a couple reasons. One is to see you!" Kurt said tapping his finger against Heather's nose. They sat on the couch while I stood. "Aunt Rachel will be here next week. She is tying up some last minute details on our play's tour schedule."

"I forgot to tell you congrats on the Tony Nomination. You should have won." I said.

After years on Broadway, Kurt and Rachel had decided to create their own play last year. Almost all of the glee members pitched in to finance the play. After months of hard work and determination, Kurt and Rachel opened their play to the public early this year. One big critic gave them a rave review, and people flooded to it. It became a huge success.

Kurt nodded. "I was gracious in defeat for the cameras, but I deserved the award for Best Writing. All of the critics and play-goers loved the play. Everyone is calling it the 'play of the year'. But I digress. I'm just happy Rachel was recognized for Best Actress-" _Door Bell Rang_

"I gotta get that." I walked towards the door, but could still hear them from the foyer.

"Where's Uncle Blaine?" Heather asked.

"He's outside, but who cares about him. He got us lost twice driving here." Kurt paused. "Anyway, you have me! I'm the fun uncle-"

"But I'm your favorite uncle." Blaine said cutting Kurt off. He and I walked into the living room. Kurt playfully rolled his eyes.

"Uncle Blaine!" Heather hugged him as he sat on the couch next to Kurt and Heather. I sat in a nearby chair.

"Favorite? The jury is still out on that verdict. I think I'm her _favorite _since I love her more." Kurt grabbed her left arm and tugged it gently toward him.

"Kurt, babe. I love her more obviously." Blaine grabbed her right arm and pulled it toward him.

"Blaine, you don't want to start this. You're going to lose. Heather and I have more in common, including our love of Broadway plays." Kurt pulled her arm again.

"Babe, you're still upset that Heather chose me over you. It's okay to come in second place this instance. You'll always be my one and only _favorite_." Blaine said lifting his eyebrows discreetly, while still tugging Heather's arm again.

Kurt blushed, but didn't let the flirting deter him. They continued the back and forth for several minutes. Heather giggled. I knew she enjoyed all the attention her uncles spoiled her with. Kurt and Blaine always had a friendly competition for the title of Heather's favorite uncle. A couple years ago, Heather had admitted Rachel and Blaine were her favorite aunt and uncle. Ever since then, the war had begun.

"Hey! Can you guys stop playing tug-o-war with my kid? Why don't you just ask Heather who her favorite uncle is?" Heather glared at me for putting her on the spot. I chuckled.

"So Heather-" I started

"Who is it?" Kurt and Blaine said in unison.

Heather stammered her answer. "Um…it's…you know…um, I love you both." She seemed to be giving the most civil answer she could.

"Its okay, Heather." Blaine said putting her in his lap. "Uncle Kurt, can handle the fact I'm your favorite."

"You are not the favorite." Kurt huffed. "Blaine, you're so full of sh-"

Heather yelled. "Swear jar!"

"What?" Blaine asked.

"It you say a swear word, you put a dollar in the swear jar." Heather smiled. "I keep the money."

I added. "It's something she started a couple months ago. She makes about fifteen dollars off me every time I watch a football game."

"Oh, Heather! I wasn't going to swear at Uncle Blaine." Kurt said lightly slapping Blaine's cheek.

"Really?" Blaine inquired hesitantly.

"Really. I was saying he is full of **s**ugar, **h**oney, and **i**ce **t**ea." Kurt said smiling at Blaine. Blaine smiled back, shaking his head.

Heather shrugged her shoulders. "I don't get it-"

"You won't Heather." I cut in, "Why don't you tell them school?"

"Oh! I'm in the fourth grade now! My teacher's name is Ms. Rossi. I made a new friend, Melissa. Katy and I are math partners!" Heather exclaimed.

I looked at Kurt, who seemed a little startled by something.

"Are you okay, Kurt?" I asked.

Kurt nodded. "I'm fine. That's great, Heather. Anything else interesting happen?"

"Yes!" Heather said. "My dad is telling me the story of my mother. Well, it's more my dad's story."

"Oh." Blaine seemed only slightly startled by the news, while Kurt froze.

Heather looked questioningly at Kurt. "Are you okay, Uncle Kurt?"

"Yes, Heather." He paused. "I'm surprised you're handling this so well-"

"Kurt", I said sternly. He didn't seem to hear me.

Kurt was still talking, "I'm sorry, we didn't tell you sooner…"

"Kurt!" I said louder. Kurt was rambling and didn't hear me.

"But we all agreed that day it was for the best-"

"Kurt!" Blaine yelled loudly, startling Kurt out his monologue. "Sam, what part of the story are you on?"

"I'm, actually, we're all still in high school. I just started telling the story a couple days ago. I decided to make the story a mystery for Heather. She has to figure out who her mom is. She could either be Santana, Mercedes, or Quinn." I said.

"That's an interesting approach." Kurt added

"Uncle Kurt, what did you think was for the best?" Heather asked.

"Heather, who do you think it is?" Blaine asked trying to distract her.

"I don't want to say yet. I've been writing all my thoughts down in my mystery notebook."

"Can I see it?" Blaine asked

"Sure, follow me!" Heather ran towards her room with Blaine following.

When Heather was out of ear shot, Kurt and I began to talk.

"I'm so sorry, Sam."

"It's fine. Blaine stopped you from giving away the ending."

"So, what made you want to tell her now, after all these years?" Kurt asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I always knew I would have to tell her one day. And she asked about her mom a couple days ago. I think she's old enough to handle the story, so it seems like now is the right time."

Kurt nodded sinking down in the couch. He stared forward. "How long has been since it happened?" He looked at me.

"It's been seven years. It seems like yesterday sometimes when we were all in that emergency room." I said reminiscing.

"Seven years." Kurt laughed. "It's funny. Blaine and I sat in the exact same spots in that same emergency room while Heather was being born."

I nodded.

Kurt's face turned serious. "Seven years ago, it was one of the worst days of my life." Kurt paused. "You were so strong that day, Sam. We all needed someone to be. And I wanted you to know that I'm eternally grateful for what you did."

Again, I nodded. "I would do it all again. She was worth it."

"Sam." Kurt turned toward me and looked directly at me. "Remember, we all made a promise that day. We made our second Glee promise as Rachel put it. We all would be there for you and Heather no matter what. We would all be there." Kurt smiled. "All of Heather's Glee aunts and uncles would always be there to help you raise your daughter. And we'll be here to support you when you get to the end of the story."

"I remember. You guys have been so awesome. Heather is growing up with so much love in her life and _I _am eternally grateful for that." I said as Blaine walked back into the living room.

"Heather is requesting her Uncle Kurt. Apparently, there is a better person to talk about Broadway plays with." Blaine said

Kurt smiled at him. "I knew she would grow tired of you. She wants her favorite uncle." Kurt walked towards Heather's room and Blaine took Kurt's seat.

"So, Sam. How is life?" Blaine asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I can't complain. Heather and I are both healthy. Heather is getting all As and making friends. My job is interesting."

"Are you still a guidance counselor?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah. It's a never-ending cycle of college recommendation letters and teenage drama."

Blaine laughed. "I bet they're nowhere as drama filled as the glee club used to be."

"You'd be surprised. Some it is worse than glee club's drama was." I said. My mind seemed to quickly wonder back to the story I was telling Heather. I wondered how Heather would handle the ending, after seeing Kurt try to comfort her immediately when he thought she knew it.

"Want to talk about something, Sam? You just spaced out in the middle of our conversation." Blaine said

"I was thinking about Heather and this story. I hope she handles the ending well, but I don't know that she will. " I admitted.

"Have faith Sam. Heather is mature for her age." Blaine said reassuring.

"I know. I think I'm most worried about how she'll think of me. I don't want her opinion or love for me to change when the story is done."

Blaine placed a hand on my shoulder. "Sam, listen to me. You are Heather's dad. She is your daughter. That is an unbreakable bond. Your relationship will survive anything, including the ending of this story."

I sighed. "Thanks Blaine."

"Anytime, Sam." He said retracting his hand.

A couple minutes later, Kurt and Heather walked back into the living room.

"It's time for us to go, Blaine." Kurt said.

"You guys can stay here if you want. I have an extra room." I insisted.

Kurt shook his head. "We're staying at a hotel. We have a friend, who manages it so we got a free room. Plus, it is close to the Jones. I have been helping Deshawn plan Mr and Mrs. Jones' 35th anniversary party."

"Oh." I said surprised. "You guys are driving back to Lima?"

Blain shook his head. "The Jones bought a place in Cleveland a couple years ago."

Kurt interrupted. "Heather, go grab your notebook. I would like to read it more."

"Sure!" Heather ran to her room.

"Sam." Blaine said. "You're free for a night. Go have fun! Watch football. Do something."

"I think I'll watch TV." I said.

"Oh, you're so much fun Sam." Kurt said sarcastically.

"Could you guys do me a favor?" I asked.

"Sure anything." Kurt answered.

"Could you watch Heather tomorrow night? Mike, Artie, and I are going out to eat tomorrow. Puck might be there too. I forgot to get a babysitter."

"Wow. It's like a mini-guy glee reunion." Blaine said with enthusiasm.

"And we weren't invited?" Kurt asked offended.

I felt guilty. I really had forgotten about Kurt and Blaine. "That's my fault. They don't know you guys are here."

"I talked to Tina two days ago. So Mike damn well knows we're here!"

"Swear Jar!" Blaine said quoting Heather.

"Shut up, Blaine." Kurt said quickly. Then Kurt sighed. "It's okay, Sam. I'm surprising Heather with Nancy Drew movie tickets anyway." He paused and looked at Blaine. "Take Blaine."

"Sure. Blaine, you ready for a glee-union?" I joked.

Blaine chuckled, while Kurt rolled his eyes. "That's corny, Sam." Kurt said as Heather walked back in the room.

"I'm ready!" Heather said. "Bye, daddy."

"See ya later, sweetheart. Have fun." I said

I watched as Kurt, Blaine, and Heather drove off. I walked back in the house and sat on the couch. The house was quiet and I missed my daughter already. My phone rang. It was an unknown number on my caller ID.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hello, Sam? This is Principal Parker."

"Um…hello. How are you?" I said. All I could think was 'how did he get my cell phone number?'

"Fine. I need you to cover Saturday morning detention." He said nonchalantly

"What? Isn't that usually assigned to a teacher?"

"Well, Mr. Green called out two days and I cannot get in contact with anyone else."

"If you don't mind me asking , how did you get my number?" I asked

"Artie left his day planner on his desk. Your personal number was in it."

"Don't you think that is an invasion of personal property?"

"I can open anything in my school. Can you supervise the detention? It's only three hours."

'Only three hours!' I thought. I sighed. My morning was free anyway, since Heather was with Kurt and Blaine. "I can do it."

"Great. I'll leave notes about the students and detention instructions. But basically just take them to room 200. Also, they are in trouble for vandalizing school property or something like that."

"Okay."

"Thank-you, Sam. Have a good evening."

"You too." I said hanging up the phone. The principal was incompetent. Who looks for someone to watch detention, the night before? Why didn't he look for someone two days ago?

I tried not to think about it as I laid down on the couch.

I flipped through television stations. I finally settled on CNN since nothing else was on. Apparently the big story was disaster flooding in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Soledad O'Brien was anchoring the television program when she turned it over to the field reporter.

I started falling asleep, but I did hear the reporter.

"_Good Evening. This is CNN reporter, Santana Lopez, reporting live from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania…"_


	12. Chapter 11: What's Your Name?

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, or anything.

* * *

><p>I really did not want to be here on a Saturday. I especially didn't want to be supervising Saturday morning detention. Principal Parker didn't leave any notes on the kids in the office, so I was completely lost. How would I find them or even know who they are? Roosevelt High School was completely empty and silent. You could hear a pen drop. I walked down the long hallway to the auditorium. When I got there, I heard loud rock music coming out. I walked in and stood in front of the stage. There were three kids dancing on stage. It was two teenage girls and one teenage boy.<p>

"Hey", I said to them. They didn't hear me over the music.

"Hey!" I yelled. The male, who had many tattoos on his arms, turned the music off. "Are you three here for 9:00 am Saturday morning detention for vandalism?" The tattooed male jumped off the stage and walked up to me.

"Yeah. Are you here for the Mister America pageant, pretty boy? Cause I think you're in the wrong building." He laughed. 'There's always a joker in the group.' I thought.

"I wish that was actually clever. Public education has obviously failed you." I looked back up at the girls. One girl had blonde hair and the other girl had pink. All three wore black and seemed to be going for the punk rebel look. I stared at the blonde girl. There was something strangely familiar about her. "All three of you, follow me."

I walked them into the class and tried to explain the rules of detention. Even though, none of them were paying attention. "Okay. You guys are here until 12:00 pm to sit in silence and think about what you did." I sat down at the teacher's desk in front of them and the many empty seats.

The blonde popped her gum loudly. "We were expressing our opinion about this bullshit school." She started twirling her hair. "You are punishing us for exercising our first amendment rights."

"Spray painting the school walls is not self-expression. It's vandalism. And rule 1, no cursing." I said.

"No cursing? Again, you are infringing on my first amendment rights!" She countered.

"You tell him, baby!" The male roped his arm around her neck and forcefully kissed her.

"Hey!" I yelled. "No fornicating in detention." They broke the kiss and the blonde girl rolled her eyes.

"What the hell does fornicating mean? The pink-haired girl asked.

"Nothing, Emma." The blonde girl said. "He was just being a smart-ass."

She was really starting to irritate me. "Young lady, if you curse again, you'll get another detention." Again, she rolled her eyes. "Alright. All of you separate, especially you two." I said pointing at the blonde and tattooed male. The male sat in the back of the room. The two girls sat in the front of the room three rows apart. I started to read a book I brought with me.

Two hours had passed relatively quickly, as I read. It was 11:00 am, when someone spoke again.

"How much longer do we have to be here?" The tattooed male yelled.

"One more hour." I said

"Ahhh!" The tattooed male whined.

"Maybe next time, you'll think before you vandalize school property." I said looking briefly at him.

He clenched his jaw and then laughed. "Maybe next time, you'll think before you take steroids, Shoot-Em-Up Sam."

I looked sternly up him. After everything I had done, why do people only seem to remember the negative? "Not that I have to explain myself to you, but I have never taken steroids.

"Not what ESPN says." The tattooed male countered.

I ignored him and went back to reading my book. About twenty minutes had passed before the silence was interrupted again.

"I have to go to the bathroom." The tattooed male yelled.

"Me too." Both girls said in unison.

"All three of you are not leaving at the same time." I pointed at the tattooed male and Emma. "You two go and be back here in five minutes."

"That's not fair." The blonde protested as the other two walked out.

"My detention. My rules." I said continuing to read my book. After awhile, I looked back up when I felt someone glaring at me.

"Is there something you would like to say?" I asked

"Am I allowed to speak now, dictator?" The blonde asked.

I shrugged my shoulders and closed my book. "The floor is yours."

"Oh." She said surprised. She didn't speak.

I looked at her. "What? Not used to people letting you talk?"

She crossed her arms and shrugged her shoulders.

I sighed. "Listen, I'm one of the guidance counselors-"

"Good for you." She cut in sarcastically.

I ignored the sarcasm. "And if you need anyone to talk to, you can talk to me. Anything you say would stay between us."

She eyed me. "So, you're not allowed to tell anything."

"Unless you plan to harm yourself or anyone else, I cannot tell anyone." I explained

"Ok. It was me. I'm the mastermind. " She said giving a cocky smile.

"What was you?" I asked confused.

"What we did." She looked at me. My face must have still had a confused expression on it, so she explained further. "The vandalism."

"What exactly did you guys vandalize?" I finally asked.

"We spray painted the outside wall on the left side of the school." She paused and asked hesitantly. "So, you don't even know why we're here?"

I shook my head. "Principal Parker didn't leave notes or anything."

She laughed loudly. "Wow. It makes our 'vandalism' seem only more appropriate."

I was again confused. "What did you spray paint?"

"We spray painted 'Principal Parker is an incompetent asshole and should be fired.'" I laughed.

"Why are you laughing? Aren't you one of his puppets?" She asked.

"I'm laughing, because it's funny. Also, I agree with you." The blonde uncrossed her arms and looked at me suspiciously.

"What if I tell the principal what you just said?" She asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'll deny it. Plus, this is a confidential conversation." I paused. "You know, you can express your opinions in other ways. There is the school newspaper, blogging, and other things. You didn't have to resort to vandalism."

She leaned forward. "I wanted to make a statement. All the greats who rebelled against society had to do it boldly."

"The greats?" I asked.

"Yes, the greats! Martin Luther King, Jr. marched for civil rights. César Chávez united people. Nelson Mandela gave up twenty-seven years of his life in prison for his beliefs. Jesus Christ died for his truth." The blonde said passionately.

"Are you comparing yourself to Jesus Christ?" I asked.

The blonde shrugged her shoulders. "King compared himself to Jesus in his 'Letter to Birmingham.' Why can't I?"

"Those guys spoke for people's rights. Some of the people you named gave up their lives. They were martyrs. The things they stood for affected and inspired people everywhere. You're just calling out our principal. And the only punishment you received was a morning with me."

She laughed. "You're funny."

Her tone turned more serious as she looked at me. "But is what I'm saying so irrelevant to the big issues? Early today, you told my boyfriend, Derek, that public education failed him. Maybe, it isn't the system. We have a principal who doesn't even know the ninth grade course listings! There are 1500 students in this school! All of those students are dependent on him to lead us and he doesn't know shit. If you put a competent, knowledgeable person in his position, we could have confidence that we are being taught right. Maybe then kids like Derek won't fail. That's what I spoke for."

"Wow. Have you ever considered student government?" I asked. "You seemed to more socially conscious than the rest of your classmates."

"Ewww. I protest establishment. I don't join it." She said in response.

I chuckled while asking. "Who are you?"

She leaned back in her chair. "I'm a certified radical bad-ass."

I laughed louder. "That's something my friend Puck would say. Minus the radical part. What I meant was your name. I have never seen you before this. What do your parents think about your radical activities?"

She twisted her face in disgust. "My mom, the queen of show choirs, could care less. I try to tell her about my beliefs and she twists the conversation around about freaking show songs." She raised her hands in the air in frustration. "Who cares about singing?"

"I used to be in a glee club in high school." I admitted.

"Again, ewww." She said

"Singing is actually fun. You should try it sometime." I paused. "What about your dad?"

"I don't have a father." She said coldheartedly. "My mom thinks I act out because of my lack of a paternal figure."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Did he pass away?" I asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "My mom never talks about my dad. It's almost like I don't even have one." She paused and eyed me again. "This is confidential, right?"

"Of course." I added. After my response, she let out a quick sigh. She seemed to be more relaxed. She seemed like a good kid who just needed someone to talk to, which was one of the main things I had learned by being a counselor. Most kids, who act out, just want attention and someone to listen to them.

"Well, sometimes, I feel like I don't belong with my mom." She admitted. "She doesn't understand me. Ever! I mean we have nothing in common. I don't even really look her!" She sighed deeply. "I guess I take a lot after my non-existent father."

"Have you talked to your mom about your feelings?" I asked

The blonde scoffed. "Like she cares."

"Talk to her. You'd be surprised. Your mom may not even know that you feel this way." I paused. "And you can talk to me anytime. Do you know where the counselor's office is?"

She nodded.

"Good. I'm there all day until 4:00 pm. Come by anytime."

She mumbled a low okay.

I started drumming my fingers against the desk. So, are you going to finally tell me your name?"

She nodded and gave small smile. "My name is Beth. Beth Corcoran."

"Well, Beth." I said extending my hand. "It's nice to meet you. I'm-"

"Please, Mr. Evans." Beth said shaking my hand. "Everyone around here knows who you are."

* * *

><p>I got home around 3:30 pm and just wanted to sleep. When I went to go lay down, but the door bell rang. I groaned and went to answer the door. It was Kurt, Blaine, and Heather.<p>

"Hey guys." I said

"Sorry, Sam!" Kurt said giving me Heather's overnight bag. "We have to go see Deshawn. Apparently, there is a problem with the hall we reserved. Plus, Heather wanted to hear more of the story."

"That's fine." I said picking Heather up. "Did you have fun?"

"Loads!" Heather answered.

"We'll be back around 7:00 pm." Blaine said. "Kurt is taking her to an advance screening of the new Nancy Drew movie. You and I are going to go meet the guys."

"Sounds good." I answered.

"But Sam-" Kurt said firmly. "Make sure she is ready by 6:30 pm. They close the doors at 7:00 pm and they do not let anyone in who is late."

"Sounds good guys. I'll see you tonight." Kurt and Blaine said goodbye and walked away as I closed the door.

"Okay, daddy. You know the drill. I'll get my notebook and you tell the story." I put Heather down and she got her notebook. We both sat down on the couch.

"Heather. The next part of the story starts in my senior year…"


	13. Chapter 12: Coming Out Song

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, or anything.

P.S.- You guys have really good theories. I want to but I can't tell you if they're right or not. Also, I will try to reveal in the next couple chapters how much Sam knows about Beth.

* * *

><p>It was October. Mercedes and I still didn't tell anyone at school about our relationship. It was Saturday and I had the day off, so I spent it at Mercedes' house. We sat next to each other on the couch and watched sci-fi movies all day. After watching "I Am Legend", Mercedes asked me about singing a coming out song.<p>

"A coming out song? What is that?" I asked putting a handful of popcorn in my mouth.

"I'm ready to tell everyone about us. I think the best way to the glee club is through song. So, we need a 'coming out song.'" She explained

I thought about it as I ate my popcorn. It sounded like a good idea. "Did you have any songs in mind?"

She shook her head. "No. That's why I wanted to ask you. What's a good song that we could sing?"

"Um…" I said carefully thinking about it. "What do you think about "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' by Aerosmith?

"No. Not that I doubt my skills, but I'm not sure I can do those screaming notes that Steven Tyler does." Mercedes paused. "'No Air' by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown?"

I shook my head. "I never really liked that song." I said. A couple minutes passed, before I gave my next suggestion. "Do you like 'Adore' by Prince?"

Mercedes turned to face me completely with a very proud look on her face. "I'm impressed, Sam. I love that song."

"Do you want to sing it?"

"Maybe. Definitely, Maybe."

I chuckled. "That's a movie, you know."

"Yeah, it is. It's a cute movie. But let's see if we can think of a better song." After about 30 minutes of back and forth, I started to think the song wasn't such a good idea.

"Mercedes, maybe we don't need song. We could just tell everyone and then get on with our business." I suggested. I looked over at Mercedes, who this look of disbelief on her face.

"Sam. I have sat and listened to everyone singing about their girlfriends and boyfriends for the past two years. I WILL have my song." Mercedes said strongly.

I raised my hands up in fake defense. "If my lady wants a song, my lady gets a song."

Mercedes smiled. "Thank you!" She paused and looked like she thinking hard. She eventually let out an aggravated sigh. "This shouldn't be so hard! What would be a good song for us to sing?" Suddenly, we heard someone walking in the living room.

"_Ebony and Ivory live together in perfect harmony  
>Side by side on my piano keyboard oh lord why don't we?"<em>

Deshawn flopped into a nearby chair after singing. I started laughing while Mercedes had a scowl on her face.

"I think it would be perfect '_coming out song'_ for you guys." Deshawn said mocking Mercedes. "You know, he's white, you're black, and you live in _harmony_." Deshawn said laughing.

Mercedes continued to glare at him. "Deshawn, don't you have somewhere else to be?"

"Nope. I'm free until my date later. You should be happy I'm offering my services for free."

"Hey, Deshawn." I said. "Was that the Paul McCartney or Stevie Wonder version?" I felt Mercedes lightly smack my arm.

"Sam! Don't encourage him!" Mercedes said.

"Stevie Wonder all the way, man!" Deshawn said before continuing to sing. "_Ebony and Ivory, Ebony and Ivory, Ebony and Ivory…" _I started laughing again.

"See Mercedes! Nebraska thinks it's a good idea by the way he's laughing." Deshawn insisted. Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"No. I was thinking that Mercedes' singing ability must not be hereditary." I said still laughing.

Now, Mercedes laughed before high-fiving me. "Good one baby."

Deshawn stared at me and shook his head. "Oh. So you got jokes, Bieber?" Deshawn continued shaking his head. "Just when I thought you were cool."

"Bye Deshawn!" Mercedes said trying to get Deshawn to leave.

"Hey 'Cedes! I live here too. You guys can't hog the living room all afternoon!" Deshawn said turning the channel to a re-run of _Martin_.

"Hey! We were watching that!" Mercedes protested.

"And now you aren't." Deshawn countered.

"'Cedes, let's work on the song. We did just watch three movies." I said. Mercedes nodded and sighed.

"Ok, we can-" Mercedes was cut off by Deshawn yelling.

"Darn it, Tommy! We don't need umbilical cords! This is TV!" Deshawn said while standing up and acting out the episode that he had obviously seen numerous times.

"Deshawn, if you're going to stay and be rude, can you at least help?" Mercedes asked

Deshawn scratched his head in thought, but never took his eyes off the TV. "What about "Unthinkable (I'm Ready)" by Alicia Keys? It seems appropriate." He suggested sincerely.

Mercedes shook her head. "No. I like that song, but I don't want to be defined as an interracial couple." I nodded. "But Alicia Keys does have some of the best contemporary love songs."

"You're welcome." Deshawn added arrogantly.

Mercedes and I went back and forth with different song ideas we could sing for about two hours. We couldn't agree on a song. Even Deshawn had left on his date at some point during our discussion.

"Mercedes, can we take a break?" I asked. "We're not getting anywhere."

"Why don't you both come and eat dinner before its ice cold?" Mrs. Jones said walking into the living room.

"What time is it?" Mercedes asked.

"It's almost 9 pm. I called you two a couple of hours ago. You guys were too engrossed in your conversation."

"Sorry." We both said in unison.

"It's fine. Come eat." She walked back into the kitchen, but yelled one last message. "Sam, you need to be home by 11:00 pm. Remember."

* * *

><p>Mercedes and I ate dinner in the dining room in silence. I assumed Mercedes was still thinking hard about the song choice by the look on her face. I loved her determination. I, on the other hand, was stuffing my face. I had only really eaten popcorn and soda during the movie marathon.<p>

"So Mercedes, how are the college applications coming?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh. They're going good, but I'm struggling with Stanford's essay question." She paused. "I just want it to be perfect."

"I know. It's been your dream school since you were little." I said remembering Mercedes gush about her aunt's experiences at Stanford and how she dreamed of going there.

"What about you, Sam?"

I nodded. "I'm trying to apply to a lot of places. I really want to go to the University of Tennessee, but I can only go where I can get a scholarship."

"Don't worry, Sam. You'll get a scholarship. Not only are you smart, but you're a great football player. You can play quarterback or wide receiver. Not many people can do that."

"Smart? Me with the dyslexia?"

Mercedes nodded. "Don't underestimate yourself. Your writing has gotten a lot better."

"Thanks."

* * *

><p>After dinner, we walked back into the living room. Not long after, I heard noise coming from outside.<p>

"It's Deshawn. He's back from his date." Mercedes said reading my mind.

"Oh. Well, about the song, 'Cedes I think-" I looked over at her and she had a huge smile on her face. "What's with the smile? I didn't even tell you my idea yet."

"I have an idea. Want to get a little revenge?" Mercedes asked with a mischievous smirk on her face.

"Revenge? For what?" I asked confused.

"Revenge for Deshawn ruining the end of our first date." Mercedes answered. She had this look of pure mischief on her face. I didn't know whether to be excited or afraid.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked hesitantly.

"Don't you hear it? There are two people on the porch, which means the girl didn't leave yet."

"Wait…why is the girl walking Deshawn to the door?" I asked

"Let's not over think this, Sam. We need to take advantage of this." She got up from the couch and stared at me. "Get the bullhorn."

She pointed towards the closet. I walked over and got it from the top shelf. I walked in the foyer and Mercedes was bent underneath the window. She signaled for me to come down with her.

"What are you going to say?" I whispered.

Mercedes looked slightly frantic. "I don't know. But we need to think of something quick before she leaves." Mercedes and I thought quickly but we couldn't think of anything. Suddenly, a smile grew wide over Mercedes' face. "Sam, this may make Deshawn angry. When I finish, we run to the laundry room and lock the door." I nodded. We both quietly laughed as we put our ears to the window to hear their conversation.

"_Deshawn!" The girl exclaimed. "That was so much fun. You really know how to show a girl a good time."_

"_Yeah, baby, you know how I do." Deshawn said. "So, can I get your number, pretty lady?"_

Mercedes whispered. "He uses ambiguous terms like 'baby' and 'pretty lady' because he doesn't remember their names." Mercedes turned on the bullhorn and mouthed a 'get ready.' _"Deshawn, your results came back from the free clinic. It says you're STD-free! Congratulations, I know you been worrying for awhile what that itching was."_

My mouth dropped open and I laughed hard. "I cannot believe you just said that!" Through the window, we heard:

"_Baby! Baby! Baby! Don't listen to that!" Deshawn said hysterically. "They're lies and-"_

_**Slap.**_

"_Oww! Why the face!" Deshawn whined._

"_Get away from me!" the girl yelled. "And lose the number I just gave you." The girl walked away._

"Run!" Mercedes yelled. We both ran as fast as we could to laundry room all the way in the back of the house. I closed the door behind us and flopped down next to Mercedes.

Mercedes yelled, "I hear him coming! Lock the door!"

I got up to reach for the door. I missed the knob, because the door opened a little. I quickly grabbed the doorknob and slammed it shut. I turned the lock on the doorknob and sat next to Mercedes.

"Mercedes!" Deshawn yelled banging on the door, which only made us laugh louder. "Wait! Is Nebraska in there too? I'm gonna hurt both of you!" He stopped banging for a second and we heard a loud sigh.

"How could you guys do this to me? That girl was _fine_!" Deshawn whined.

"What's her name, Deshawn?" Mercedes yelled.

"That's beside the point!" Deshawn yelled banging on the door again. "Open the door and face me, you cowards!"

"We're not going to! This is for the Bieber crack earlier!" I yelled.

Deshawn yelled. "Open this door now! Mercedes, I'm going to beat the black off you! And Sam, I'm going to beat you until you're black and blue!"

I looked at Mercedes. "Is he serious? Do I have to prepare myself for a fight?" Before Mercedes could answer, we heard Mr. Jones.

"Who is banging on doors in my house!" Mr. Jones yelled. Mercedes and I immediately straightened up. Mr. Jones was a nice guy, but he could be intimidating at times. I was a little afraid at this point. "Deshawn, why are you banging on the door?"

"Mercedes and Sam are hiding from me in the laundry room. They embarrassed me in front of my date!"

"Deshawn go to your room!" Mr. Jones said.

"Dad! I'm 21 years old! I'm grown man; you cannot order me to my room!" Deshawn said. "Besides, they were in the wrong. They lied and inferred I was diseased!"

"Grown man? You still live here! I cannot punish Mercedes for something you did to her first! Now, go to your room!" Mr. Jones said in response.

Deshawn yelled in frustration. "I can't wait to transfer to Ohio State and get out of here!" We heard him walk away.

"Now, you two. Open the door." Mr. Jones said in an unusually deep and somewhat scary tone.

"Um… 'Cedes…I'm scared." I admitted quietly

"Me too." Mercedes also admitted.

"That's really comforting, Mercedes!" I said sarcastically.

"Now!" Mr. Jones yelled. Mercedes began to get up, but I stopped her.

"I'll do it." I got up and opened the door to a very stern looking Mr. Jones. I stood straight and tried not to look afraid. I wasn't sure if I was successful or not. "Sorry, Mr. Jones. We got carried away with the joke." Mr. Jones sighed.

"Its fine, Sam. But I think it's time you go home. You two had enough fun for tonight." Mr. Jones pointed towards the front and we walked all the way to the front door.

"Sam, I'll walk you out." Mercedes said sadly. I nodded. We walked outside and stood on the porch.

"Sorry about getting us in trouble." Mercedes said.

"Don't worry about it. It was fun until Deshawn tried to kill us." Mercedes laughed softly.

"Do you need a ride?" Mercedes asked.

I shook my head. "I'll walk. It's fine." Mercedes nodded and then looked down.

"Come here, Mercedes." I pulled Mercedes close into a hug. We held each other for a couple minutes, before she sighed.

"I like your arms…I love your hugs." Mercedes admitted into my chest.

I smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Well, I like you in my arms." I paused. "I love you."

I felt Mercedes freeze against me. It might have been too soon to tell her this, but it was true. "Mercedes, I love you. I know it's kind of soon to say 'I love you.' We've only been dating for about five months, but I've never felt this way about anyone before. I have never had feelings this strong. I would do anything for you."

Mercedes still didn't speak, which made me nervous. I couldn't help but think, 'Am I rushing this? Does she feel the same way? God! When did I start acting like a girl?'

Her voice was shaky, "Sam-"

"Don't say anything." I said cutting her off. "If you're not ready, don't say anything." I let her go and started walking down the stairs. I didn't want to hear her answer. Her hesitant response to my declaration of love scared me. I really didn't want to be rejected right now. After Quinn, my heart couldn't take another beating. Actually, the truth was, Mercedes' rejection would have hurt worse than Quinn cheating on me.

"Thank-you Sam." I turned around to Mercedes confused.

"For what?"

"You just gave me the perfect song idea."

* * *

><p>"What was the song? What was the song, dad?" Heather asked excitedly<p>

I smiled. "Well, the next Monday…"


	14. Chapter 13: Never Felt This Way

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, or anything.

* * *

><p>It was Monday and also the week before Halloween so everyone was discussing what they wanted to wear. Finn and Rachel were going to be Frankenstein and his bride. Brittany and Santana wanted to be Siamese twins joined at the hip.<p>

Leaning back in the chair I tried to listen to everyone as I tuned my guitar. But my mind was on Mercedes and her song idea. She wouldn't tell me what the song was. I asked her all day but she wouldn't give me a hint. It didn't make any sense. How would we sing to each other if I didn't even know the song? I also thought about how everyone would take the news. I didn't really care about what everyone thought, but I knew Mercedes would. After some time had passed, I looked to the side door and Mercedes still wasn't here. Where was she?

"Hey, Sam!" Puck said interrupting my thoughts. "What are you dressing up as?"

"I haven't decided yet." I admitted

"Whatever you do, don't wear those tiny gold shorts again."

But before I could respond, I heard Mercedes. I heard Mercedes laughing. I turned to the side door and saw Mercedes walking in with a new transfer student. His nickname was Bubba and he was a linebacker on the football team. He was a cool guy except for the fact he was always flirting with Mercedes. I was thankful that Mercedes was oblivious to it, but it still irritated me. I told him last week to stay away from her during football practice. But then he asked me why and I didn't have an answer. It's hard to claim your girlfriend when you're in a secret relationship. Earlier today, I tried to talk to Mercedes about Bubba, but she told me I had nothing to worry about. She said she wanted only me, but why was she laughing with him?

"You're late, Mercedes." Santana said loudly.

Mercedes shrugged her shoulders. "Mr. Schue isn't here yet, so really I'm on time."

"Whatever, Mercedes. Stop laughing with your boyfriend and sit over here." Santana said taping the sit next to her. I felt myself getting upset when Santana called Bubba, Mercedes' boyfriend.

Mercedes shook her head as she said, "He's not-"

"He is NOT her boyfriend." I said fuming cutting Mercedes off.

Kurt cut his eye at me. "Someone's testy."

"But I could be." Bubba said boldly. Mercedes' eyes opened wide and I saw her glance toward me. The angry inside me was starting boil. My face was hot, my jaw clenched, and my heart was pounding rapidly.

Mercedes shook her head fiercely. "No! Bubba, I don't feel-"

"Mercedes, I really like you." Bubba said cutting her off. "And I think you really like me, too."

That set me off.

I yelled, "What part of 'back off' don't you understand!" Everyone looked startled by the volume of my voice.

"What's your problem, Evans?" Bubba said defensively

"You're my problem." I said. My voice was low and angry. I put my guitar down and started walking towards him. "I said back off." Threat radiated from my voice.

"Sam, don't!" Mercedes said quickly.

"And what if I don't?" Bubba asked walking closer toward me.

Finn jumped between us in seemingly in fear of an altercation. "There is not going to be a fight right now. Sam, if Bubba wants to date Mercedes, what's the big deal?"

"Is there something you need to tell us, Sam?" Quinn said. "You wouldn't this angry for no reason."

Before I could answer, Mr. Schue walked in. "Good Afternoon, everyone!" He said cheerfully. "Today…is everything okay?" He said picking up on the tension.

"Yeah. Everything's fine." Finn answered. "Right guys?" Finn looked between Bubba and me.

Bubba and I both mumbled 'yeahs', as we went back to our seats. I felt the angry slowly subsiding.

"Okay. For today,-" Mr. Schue said but Mercedes interjected.

"Mr. Schue, I want to sing a song. There's something I need to get off my chest."

"Sure, Mercedes. Please take the mic." He said pointing to it.

Mercedes walked to the microphone and stood in front of us. She seemed nervous, which was unusual. Mercedes was always so confident when she performed. She looked over the room, before setting her eyes on me. 'Cedes smiled at me and I smiled back at her. I discreetly mouthed 'I love you', and my confident diva seemed to come back.

Mercedes started, "Everyone, I've been lying to you all for the past five months." She paused.

Everyone looked at each other confused and asked what she was talking about.

Mercedes continued, "All those Saturdays, when I was 'busy' with chores, I was really spending time with the most amazing guy. The guy who noticed me at prom." She chuckled softly thinking back. "He said I was beautiful and asked me to dance. Then after the dance, we started to more of each other. I fell in love with him over the summer."

Any angry I had left turned to pure joy. She had said I love you back.

She adjusted her mic before saying, "I want to dedicate this song to him. I know he wanted to sing with me but I've wanted to sing _to him_ for a long time." The song she sang was "Never Felt This Way" by Alicia Keys. It was a great choice, because I had never felt this way about anyone except Mercedes Jones. She felt the same way.

_There will never come a day  
>You will ever hear me say<br>That I want  
>Or need to be without you<br>I wanna give my all_

_**Baby just hold me  
><strong>__Simply control me  
><em>_**Because your arms, they keep away the lonelies  
><strong>__When I look into your eyes  
>Then I realize<br>All I need is you in my life  
><em>_**All I need is you in my life**_

_**Cause I never felt this way about lovin** ...Nooooo_  
><em>Never felt so good..baby<em>

_**Never felt this way about love  
>And it feels so good<strong>_

After she sang the last note, she looked at me and said, "I love you, Sam."

"I love you, too, Mercedes."

There was a mixture of gasps and shock that filled the room. Almost everyone had something to say.

"What the hell!" Artie said quickly shocked.

"Didn't see that one coming…" Tina said

"That explains the last ten minutes." Rachel inserted.

"My bad. I didn't know she was your girl." Bubba said apologetically.

I nodded my head, and said "It's okay."

"What the hell, Guppy Lips!" Santana yelled at me. "I thought we were tight."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Mercedes and I decided not to tell anyone outside our families."

"Well, I'm happy for the both of you." Quinn said.

Kurt scoffed, "You could've told me, Diva. I'm your best friend. I can't believe you kept a secret this big from me."

Mercedes looked at Kurt. "I'm sorry, Kurt. It was just something special that I wanted to stay between Sam and me for awhile." She paused. "Besides, I'm not the only one keeping secrets." Kurt shifted in his seat nervously, as Mercedes sat down in a seat next to me.

"You were keeping secrets too, Kurt?" Lauren asked

"Who told you?" Kurt asked while turning to face Mercedes.

"Blaine! Only you seem to think it's a secret."

"What about Blaine?" Brittany asked.

Kurt stood up in front of the room and sighed happily. "Blaine is transferring to McKinley!" Kurt said excitedly clasping both his hands together.

"Oh, Kurt! He'll be such an asset!" Rachel exclaimed. "We can sing a duet together in competition!"

Kurt answered indignantly to Rachel as he crossed his arms. "Or Blaine and _**I **_could see a duet."

Suddenly Puck, Artie, and Mike randomly yelled, "Glee-initiation!"

A couple people asked, "Glee what?"

"Glee-initiation. It's the words glee and initiation put together." Mike said

"Mike, Puck, and I were talking. Since most of us are graduating, we need to find new members to keep the club alive." Artie added

"But to make sure they meet our standards, we need to put them through an initiation." Puck explained.

"Glee has standards?" Brittany asked seriously

"Did you put Bubba through the initiation?" Finn asked.

"We were going to, but he gave me $20, so he's in." Puck and Bubba fist bumped.

"You will not do anything to Blaine!" Kurt warned. "Besdies, he's a senior too!"

"Oh, yes we will. He will be initiated." Puck countered

"No, you won't"

"Yes, we will..."

"No, you won't!"

We all watched Puck and Kurt go back and forth. I wrapped my arm around Mercedes and gave her a quick kiss. "See 'Cedes. We're already old news."

* * *

><p>"You guys finally told!" Heather exclaimed<p>

"Yeah, we did." I said smiling at the memory.

"That was sweet." Heather said.

I nodded.

"Did anything else happen that day?"

"Just football practice…"

* * *

><p>Football practice that day was really grueling. I was dead-tired, but I had to work later. So, I needed to wake up. I went to a sink in the locker room to splash cold water in my face. It didn't help, so I sat on the bench and leaned against a locker to close my eyes for a minute. I heard footsteps approaching me.<p>

"Damn, Evans. You look how I feel." Puck said dragging his feet and sitting on the bench.

"Tired from catching my balls, Sam?" Finn asked arrogantly

"Screw you, Finn."

"I am!" Puck injected. "Finn, that spiral you threw to Sam got some serious distance."

"Yeah. That was a good throw." Finn said remembering.

"I've thrown better." I said causing Finn to laugh.

With that laugh, our year old rivalry started to flare up again.

"If you could throw better, Beiste would've made you quarterback. But she didn't. She picked me."

I opened my eyes and stared at him. "If you hadn't made that bad call last year, I would still be quarterback. I was doing just as good if not better that you." I said

"Beiste made me quarterback_ this_ year." Finn countered.

"Because she didn't have tryouts for quarterback!" I said standing up. "She just gave it to you."

Finn started playing with a football from his locker. "You're a good runner, Sam. I'm a good thrower." He threw the square at my chest as I caught it. "Don't upset the balance. Know your place."

"Don't you ever tell me to know my place." I said throwing the ball back. I started to walk out, but Puck stopped me.

"Hey! You guys need to stop. You guys, Mike, Artie, and I are team captains. You guys are going to need to stop fighting. We need unity if we're going to win." Puck said

Finn and I stared intensely at each other, before Finn sighed. "You're right, Sam. She gave it to me. But I don't want to give it up and I'm not going to." He paused. "And sorry about Quinn."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Sorry about taking Quinn from you last year. I was confused about how I felt."

"You're always confused." I walked to open my locker and Puck hit me in the side. He jerked his head toward Finn. I took the hint. "Thanks for the apology."

Finn nodded. "Yeah. Well, I mean it."

* * *

><p><em>I glanced at the clock.<em>

It was 5:10 pm. I was hesitant about telling Heather the next part of the story. I really wanted to skip the next part, but it was an important event in my life. It was an important part of the story. "Why did you stop, Dad?" Heather asked.

"Thinking about something." I paused. "Heather, don't let me go pass time. You and I have to be ready before 6:30 pm. Stop me at about 6:00 pm."

"Okay. What happened next?"

* * *

><p>It was November. It was a few days away from the six month anniversary of Mercedes and I dating. I wanted to get her something, but all of my paycheck went to my family. I talked to my dad about it and he said I could have $20 to buy her something. I didn't know what to get with $20, but I had to think of something. He didn't have the money on him, so he gave me his debit card to take the money out an ATM after school.<p>

It was after football practice. I was walking toward the bus. It was starting to rain, but it was a light drizzle. I got to the stop when a truck pulled up beside me. It was Finn's truck.

"Hey Sam."

"Hey"

"Um…do you want a ride?" Finn offered.

"It's fine. I'll just get on the bus."

"Sam, the bus takes forever and I'm offering you a _free_ ride."

"I need to go the ATM and the mall and it'll probably be out your way."

Finn shook his head. "I'm actually driving near the mall. I have to go pick up Puck from Santana's house. He skipped practice to work on their song assignment for glee."

Earlier that week, Mr. Schue had assigned us to sing duets about compassion. He assigned partners. Puck got Santana.

After thinking about it, Finn made sense. It was raining, and the bus was slow. I had also forgotten my phone, so it was probably be better with someone who had one. "Okay, thanks man."

I got in the car. We drove the entire way in silence. There was still some lingering tension between us. I guess the ride was Finn's way of showing 'truce.' I looked at the clock and noticed it was 7:30pm. It was getting dark quickly and the rain was coming down harder while we drove through Lima Heights Adjacent. We got to Santana's house and Puck came out immediately. We all waved goodbye to Santana as Finn drove off. After about five minutes, Finn parked on a corner.

"Why did you stop?" I asked

"You need to go to the ATM." Finn said. "It's around the corner."

"I do need to go to the ATM, but not in Lima Heights Adjacent at night! Santana told me bad things happen here." I said. I looked to them and they both gave me this look of disbelief.

"Please, don't tell me you're being a punk right now, Evans?" Puck asked hitting me in the shoulder from the back seat.

"Yeah. The ATM is right around the corner and I found a parking spot." Finn added. "We're right here."

"I just don't feel comfortable guys." I admitted. "Besides, you can't see the ATM from here."

"Okay Evans." Punk said in a high-pitched, childish voice. "You don't have to get out the car. We know you're scared of the dark!" They both laughed at me.

"Whatever." I got out the car and started to walk to the ATM. I really couldn't take any more of their taunting. I walked around the corner and there was a line. _Great. _The rain was coming down harder and I had no choice but to stand in it. My wet hair was clinging to my forehead annoyingly and I wished could afford a haircut. After a couple minutes, there was only an elderly man in front of me. When he was finished, I walked up to the ATM. I heard his feet splash against puddles as he walked away. After entering the amount I was withdrawing, I waited for the cash to dispense. I heard splashing footsteps again but ignored it as soon as I heard it. As I grabbed the twenty dollar bill, I felt something hard press against the middle of my back. It was on my spine.

My world froze. I had watched enough crime shows to know what was happening, but I never thought I would experience it. There was a gun to my back. It was on my _spine_. I was being mugged.

The rain beating against my face felt colder as the blood drained from my face. I couldn't move my legs. My heart beat so fast that I felt it in my ears. I was terrified.

"Don't move! Give me the money in your hand." The mugger said. I didn't turn around. I handed him the money. The mugger groaned in frustration. "Are you serious! $20!"

"I _swear_ it's all I have! Please don't shoot me!" I tried pleading with him. I felt the gun shake and held the breathing of the mugger become deeper. He was nervous. "Man, you don't have to do this."

I felt the barrel pressed even harder into my back. "I do! My family needs the money." He yelled with a sad voice. "They'll kick us out if we don't get the rent money by tomorrow." He explained.

"I know how you feel…" I felt him grab my shoulder and swing me around. He placed the gun in my chest. "Don't you dare tell me you know how I feel! You don't know what it's like to struggle! I'm about to be homeless. Don't you dare emphasize with me." His voice was angry now.

I thought 'If he only knew.' I looked at him and I couldn't believe it. He was a kid. He barely looked 16. "But I do! I do understand what-"

"Sam! What's taking so long!" Finn said running up to us. His face fell when he saw the gun. "Oh my God-"

"Hey! You! Don't move!" The kid yelled pointing the gun to Finn. Finn put his arms up and asked him to put the gun down. The kid shook his head. Thunder boomed in the background as the rain poured.

"You don't have to do this!" I tried pleading again. "Just run away now and I _swear to God_, we won't tell anyone!"

He lowered the gun slightly. The kid's voice was shaky. "I can't. I can't." He seemed to be internally struggling with the decision. "My family needs this! I need to save them!" He raised the gun at pointed it toward me. "Get more money out."

I shook my head. "Man, there's a better way-"

"Now!" he yelled pointing the gun to my head. "Get the money or I'll-" Finn jumped him and grabbed part of the gun.

Thunder boomed again. The street lights shined on them as they struggled for the gun. I froze. Everything was in slow motion and seemed surreal.

"Sam! Run! Get Puck!" Finn yelled. My legs unfroze. I went to run but I slipped in a puddle and fell.

_**BANG!**_ I heard the gunshot. It was so loud that my ears vibrated. I looked up and they were both still standing. I thought everyone was okay, but I was wrong. The kid started to run as Finn fell to the ground. I got up and tried to stop the kid, but I couldn't. He quickly used the end of his gun and hit it forcefully against my head.

I fell to the ground again as he ran away. I grabbed my head trying to relieve the worst headache of my life. I looked at Finn. He was stretched out the sidewalk staring at the night sky. His hand firmly clutched on his side. OH MY GOD. Finn was shot.

I tried to crawl over to him but I felt dizzy. "Finn! Finn! Are you hurt? Did the bullet hit you?"

Finn nodded violently. "It hurts! Shit! _It hurts_!"

"Give me your phone!" Finn threw the phone from his pocket. I dialed 911 and told them where we were. After I hung up, I looked at the ground. It was red. Finn's blood covered the space between us.

"Finn! Finn! Keep breathing! Put pressure on it!" I yelled crawling to him.

Finn looked at me and his eyes grew wide. His breathing became shallower. He was panicking.

"What's wrong? Did it hit your lungs? Why are you breathing weird!" I asked as I reached him.

"Shit! Shit! Sam, your face! Shit!" Finn yelled

"My face? What's wrong with my face!" I put my hand to my face. It was cold and wet. I thought it was the rain, but it wasn't . When I looked at my hand, it was red. I looked down and blood was dripping off my face. It wasn't Finn's blood on the ground. It was mine. Everything was spinning and my head was pounding. Then I heard an ambulance siren and footsteps. It was Puck.

"What the hell happened! I heard a gunshot!" He looked between us, but must have noticed Finn clutching his side. "Finn? Are you shot!" I don't remember what happened next.

I blacked out.

* * *

><p>I woke up and I didn't know where I was. The walls were beige and I was hooked to a machine. I sat up and saw Mercedes.<p>

"Oh my God, Sam! You're awake. Nurse! Nurse!" Mercedes yelled frantically. She ran over and hugged me. She was crying. "Your family just left five seconds ago to get Stacy and Stevie dinner."

"Mercedes, where am I? What happened?" Then everything flooded back. The kid, the gun, and Finn.

"Mercedes!" I said as the doctors ran in. They pulled Mercedes away.

"Miss, you have to leave."

"Mercedes! Is Finn okay?" I yelled. "He shot Finn!"

I looked at Mercedes at the door. She was still crying. "I know."

* * *

><p><em>Door bell rings<em>

"What time is it, Heather?" I looked at the clock and it was 6:35. "Shit!"

"Swear jar, daddy."

"Here…" I said handing her a five out my wallet. "One for me. Four for Uncle Kurt, because he is going to curse me out."

"Dad! You cannot stop the story now! What happened to Finn! Did he die?"

"Heather, I'm sorry but go and get dressed."

After five minutes, I had managed to pack a new overnight bag and change my clothes. I answered the door to Blaine and a fuming Kurt.

"Damn it, Sam! I said 6:30! Now, it's 6:40!"

"I know! We got carried away with the story." Heather walked out front having already changed outfits. I knew I should have picked the clothes. She was wearing a Nancy Drew costume from last Halloween

"What the hell, Sam! You gave her a costume!"

"No-"

"It's perfect, Kurt." Blaine interjected. "She's dressed for a Nancy Drew movie as Nancy Drew!"

Kurt rubbed his hand against his forehead. "It's fine. We don't have time."

We all went out the door. Kurt and Heather took Kurt and Blaine's car. Blaine and I got in mine. We drove off to our destinations.


	15. Chapter 14: Boys Night Out

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, or anything.

Author Note: I'm sorry this chapter is so late. I lost the book that I have this story outlined in. I didn't want to write this chapter until I found it. I did find it! Hopefully, this chapter somewhat makes up for the delay. I'll try to get the next chapter up in a couple days.

* * *

><p>The drive to the restaurant was mostly filled with small talk between Blaine and me. I quickly realize that I should've driven, because Blaine got lost ten minutes into the drive. While I was giving him instructions to the restaurant, a familiar song came on the radio. I remember the song, it was Mercedes' first hit. The song was called 'First Love.' I smiled. Blaine must have noticed my reaction, since he stopped talking and turned the volume up.<p>

_You're there for me, through all of my ups and downs_  
><em>And what I feel you always seem to know<em>  
><em>You find the words, when I need comforting<em>  
><em>And dry my eyes, that's why I love you so<em>

_More than a friend you're my first love_  
><em>I can always depend on my first love<em>

_I feel like I have known you all my life_  
><em>I can't explain how close we are<em>  
><em>When something's wrong, you know how to make it right<em>  
><em>That's why you stay close to my heart<em>

_You are more than a friend you're my first love_  
><em>I can always depend on my first love<em>

_(Yeah yeah yeah yeah)_  
><em>(Just fine)<em>  
><em>Cause you are my very first love<em>  
><em>Sweet, my first kiss goodnight<em>  
><em>You're the beat of my heart music<em>  
><em>My very first love<em>

_More than a friend you're my first love_  
><em>I can always depend on my first love<em>

_With you in my life I'm not lonely at all_  
><em>And if there were tears (yeah) you'd catch them all<em>  
><em>Cause you know my pain, and you know my joy<em>  
><em>There's no secrets between us only pretty piano chords<em>

_You are more than a friend you're my first love_  
><em>(Send chills up my spine)<em>  
><em>I can always depend on (music) my very first love<em>

_Sweet, I can't deny_  
><em>It's in my heart<em>  
><em>Music, my very first love<em>

_I sing because I'm happy but music sets me free_  
><em>You're sweet lullaby a first kiss goodnight<em>  
><em>The beat of my heart music, my very first love<em>

_You are more than a friend you're my first love_  
><em>I can always depend on my first love<em>

_You are more than a friend you're my first love_  
><em>I can always depend on my first love<em>  
><em>My first love<em>

When the song went off, I noticed Blaine stare at me for a second.

"You miss her?" Blaine asked

I sighed. "Yeah, I do. I miss her a lot. I remember when the song first came out. I swear I listened to it every day my sophomore year in college. I just wanted to hear her voice." I admitted staring forward. There were a lot of stars out tonight, and it reminded me of our date. Blaine and I drove in silence for a while, before Blaine spoke up.

"You know, everyone thinks she is talking about 'music' being her first love, but I think the song is about you."

"I think 'music' and I both tied as her first loves. I was never really sure which she loved more. Her singing or me." I added

"It's you. Trust me." Blaine said pulling into a parking space in front of the restaurant.

"How do you know?" I asked

"Trust me. Now, come on, I'm starving. Kurt and I have been running around and visiting people all day. I need to eat _now_." Blaine said emphasizing now while getting out the car.

We walked into the restaurant and it was just like Mike described. There was a stage in front of the restaurant and the place was huge. There was a bar in the center and circular tables all around. The packed restaurant also had a downtown city vibe to it. Blaine and I looked around before, we saw Artie and Mike already sitting at a table.

"Hey Sam! Blaine!" Mike yelled waving us over to the table. "Over here!" We walked over and sat down.

"Hey. Wait? Did you say Blaine?" Artie asked before looking up from his menu. "Blaine! I haven't seen you in a while! What's up, man?"

"Hey Artie. Nothing much. Well, I was promoted to-" Blaine was cut off by a singing Puck walking over to the table.

"_Now, the party don't start 'til I walk in__!"_ Puck sang a verse from Ke$ha's Tik Tok. He high-fived everyone before sitting down.

"Wow. Lauren actually let you out!" Mike said shocked. "Is she watching your tribe by herself?"

"I earned two hours of freedom!" Puck said picking up a menu. "I just had to work overtime yesterday and had to give my _9-year old_ 'the talk' on Thursday!"

"What?" Blaine asked laughing

"Me too." I interjected. "The school wanted to give the kids a sex ed lesson after a middle schooler got pregnant." Blaine nodded.

Puck dropped his menu and stared at me. "What?" He asked seriously. It seemed like the blood had drained from Puck's face. Puck and Lauren had fraternal triplets in the 7th grade. Two of them were girls.

"An 8th grader got pregnant, Puck. Calm down." I said chuckling.

"You laugh, but I can't handle any more kids." Puck said seriously. "I still don't know how we got so many."

"Maybe you should've gotten the talk." Artie added. "And the contraceptive talk, because you don't seem to know what that is."

Everyone started laughing except for Puck.

Puck shook his head and started fake laughing. "HAHAHA! You're so funny Artie." His tone turned serious. "Multiple births run in Lauren's family. Also, Lauren is Catholic… so there is your answer."

"Are you raising your kids as Jewish or Catholic?" Mike asked curiously

"I don't know. The extent of my parenting is doing head counts every couple hours to make sure everyone is alive." Puck shrugged his shoulders. "They can do whatever they want. I'd loved them no matter what."

Even though, Puck complained a lot about work, Lauren, and his many children. He loved them unconditionally. He told me once he won't trade his life for the world.

"Seven kids…" I said shaking my head. "That's a lot."

"_I know_." Puck said sarcastically. "It's like having your own basketball team." He paused and picked up his menu again. "But you're wrong, I have eight kids."

"What? Is Lauren pregnant again?" Mike asked shocked. "Why are you doing this to yourself? To me?"

Puck looked at Mike questioningly. "To you?"

Mike nodded. "Yes! Lauren has bipolar mood swings when she is pregnant. Remember, when she thought I was you walking in and tried to throw a shoe at me! I still have a faint mark on my forehead. I still can't come over your house without yelling my name first."

Puck nodded. "That was hilarious. Someone needed to see what I go through." He paused. "But I was talking about Beth. Remember the baby Quinn and I had? I always wondered what happened to her. You know, what she is like, who she became…"

Artie interjected. "What would she be now? 16?"

Puck nodded. "Yeah. I remember when she was adopted. I tried to play it off, but it hurt." Puck told a deep breath and started to fiddle with his menu. "Everyone knows that my dad wasn't there for me. I always told myself that I didn't want to be like him, but then what did I do? I gave up my oldest kid. I wasn't there for her and then I became just like my father." He put the menu down and looked at his hands. "When Lauren and I started having children, I swore I would be there for them. I wanted to be there for plays, games, recitals…everything. Sometimes, I wish I could see her and tell her that I still think about her all the time. I always loved her." Puck's eyes seemed to be filling with tears, but we knew Puck wouldn't cry. He considered himself too 'tough' for that. Puck sighed deeply trying to relieve himself of the emotions that came with his confession. Then he said her name softly. "Beth. Beth Corcoran."

After hearing her last name, I choked on the water I was drinking. "Wait! What's her last name?"

Puck shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it would be Corcoran? Why do you ask?"

"Because…" I couldn't believe it. I knew exactly where Quinn and Puck's kid was. She goes to the high school I work at. I really wanted to tell Puck that I had met his daughter. I had met her this morning! But our conversation was confidential. As a guidance counselor, I couldn't give out student information. Plus, Beth obviously didn't know she was adopted. I couldn't tell Puck right now. It could disrupt so many lives, so I kept my mouth shut. "…no reason, Puck."

Puck again shrugged his shoulders.

"Anyway, Puck, how are you and Lauren paying for college for all those kids? Blaine asked.

Puck rubbed his face in frustration. "Don't remind me! I'll probably have to sell a kidney or something." Puck paused and looked at me. "Or have their rich uncle pay for their tuition."

"I'm not rich, Puck." There were various reactions among the group. Mike gave a quick laugh, Artie rolled his eyes, and Blaine shook his head. Puck gave me a look of disbelief.

"Whatever, Sam. Not rich? Everyone in the country knows you have $25 million dollars stashed away. You need to help your friend out. You only have one kid."

"Speaking of the Heather and the kids' school. Guess who I talked to two days ago there?" I said deferring the conversation.

"Who?" Puck asked eating a roll from the basket.

"Mrs. Jones. Mercedes' mom." I said. Now it was Mike, who choked on his soda, after I finished my statement. He eventually caught his breath after Artie patted him on his back.

"You all right, man? Artie asked

"It's just Mrs. Jones." I added suscpiously. "Do you know why she was there?"

"Um…no…the soda went down the wrong tube." Mike said quickly. "So, what exactly did she say?"

"It was just small talk. We mainly talked about how big Heather had gotten." I explained. "But what I don't understand is why she was there? Why was she in a school in Cleveland? It's a pretty long drive between Cleveland and Lima."

"I told you, she moved here." Blaine added quickly.

"But why was she at a school?"

"Maybe she was working a case." Artie said trying to think of a logical reason. "Mrs. Jones is a lawyer."

"I'm changing the subject!" Puck said bored. "Obviously, no one knows why Sam. Well-"

Puck was cut off by a waitress with a tray of drinks.

"Good evening, gentlemen. Here are your drinks." She said handing each of us a beer.

"Miss, we didn't order any drinks…" Mike said confused. The waitresses pointed to three women at the bar at the center of the room.

"They paid for the drinks and asked if they could get a wave from you sir." She said looking at me.

"Me?" I asked. The waitress nodded.

She whispered, "I think they like you."

I looked over at the table and gave them a small wave. They started to giggle and talk fiercely amongst themselves.

"I think you made their night, number 7. Are you all ready to order?" We nodded and proceeded to give our orders. As she walked away, two men walked over to us. They had napkins and pens in their hands.

"Hey, Number 7! Can we get your autographs?" He asked giving me the pen and napkin.

"Yeah, sure man. What's your name?"

"Rob. And this is John."

John added, "Evans, I want to thank you for everything you did for this city. Trust me, if it was up to the fans, you would be in there." I nodded and said thanks.

"Have a good night guys." I said as they walked away.

"Must be nice" Puck said on a sigh. "Why don't you come out more often? You'll like a god in this city. Women buying you drinks, fans adoring you, being rich and single."

"Stop being a hater, Puck." Artie said

"Well, I do actually take back the single part." Puck said smiling. "Lauren is awesome. Next month, I will officially mark the day I got the most amazing girl in the world to marry me."

"How long has it been?" Blaine asked. "That was a fun reception."

"Yeah, it was." Puck said remembering. "It's been 12 years."

"Sorry, Puck. But you didn't get the most amazing girl." Mike inserted. "I did."

"Well, I win best guy department." Blaine added.

"I'm going to gag." I said growing tired of the romantic tone of the conversation.

"Look who's the hater now." Puck said arrogantly

Artie nodded. "We'll change the subject, Sam." He paused, before looking at Blaine. "Blaine, you never said what was up with you." Artie said going back to his question earlier.

"I've been a junior partner for a couple of years, now."

Puck shook his head. "I always thought you would go the arts direction like Kurt and Rachel."

Blaine nodded. "Well, Kurt, Finn, Rachel, and I moved to New York after senior year. We struggled for a bit. Finn had a part-time job, while going to school. However, the rest of us were struggling artists. I soon realized the arrangement wouldn't work. I knew Kurt loved performing more than me. So, I took my dad's offer. My dad said if I went to college, he would pay for it." He shrugged his shoulders. "I loved criminal justice and later went to law school at NYU." He paused. "I do still get to sing, though. A couple times a year, I'll sing at a wedding. It's how I got the nickname 'the singing lawyer.' Guys, we need to do this more often. I miss hanging out with you guys."

We all nodded, but Puck started to chuckle.

"Hey, Blaine. Remember glee-initiation?"

Blaine groaned frustrated. "Do I remember it? It has haunted me my entire adult life!"

During senior year, Mike, Artie, and Puck did put Blaine through an initiation behind Kurt's back. They made him sing Sisqo's Thong Song and posted it to YouTube.

Blaine continued, "Do you know how hard it was explaining the video to law school admission officers? My boss!" He exclaimed running his hands through his hair.

"Have you seen it lately?" Mike asked. "You got 10.6 million hits! You're a YouTube sensation."

"Joy." Blaine said sarcastically.

"This is fun." Artie added. "We're only missing Finn, Matt, and Kurt."

"Yeah. So in honor of them-" Puck grabbed an empty glass. He pulled a little of his beer out into the glass as he while saying, "This is for the brothers who aren't here."

"Um…Puck? People usually say that expression when the person died." Artie said "And-"

"Matt is in Florida with his family." Mike said

"Kurt is at the movies with Heather." I added

"And Finn isn't dead." Artie finished.

Puck shook his head and took a sip of his beer. "Do you still believe that fairy tale, Artie? It's been a long time. Finn isn't coming back."

Artie shook his head. "Puck, you have to believe-"

"Food's here!" I said cutting Artie off.

"Okay, gentlemen, here is your food." The waitress said passing out plates. "If you need anything else, I'll be walking around."

I was happy the food was ready, because the mood was starting to take a turn too serious for a fun night out.

"So, Sam." Artie started. "Mike told me you've been telling Heather a story."

I nodded. "Heather started asking about her mom."

"What part are you on?" Blaine asked

"I was on the part when Finn got shot when you and Kurt walked in." Blaine nodded.

Puck said, "I remember that night. I wouldn't admit it back then, but I had never been so scared in my life. Sam, you were bleeding and unconscious. Finn was grazed by a bullet." Puck chuckled. "But Finn still told everyone at school he got shot and that the bullet was lost inside him."

"It was a crazy night." I said. I paused and said seriously. "I owe Finn my life. If he hadn't jumped on the guy, he could've shot me. He had the gun pointed at my head."

"Did you end on that part?" Mike asked. I nodded.

"Why would you end the story like that?" Artie asked. "That's evil. How could not tell Heather what happened next?"

"I ran out of time!" I said trying to explain myself. "I lose track of time, when I tell her the story."

Puck said on a chuckle. "I heard you're taking more of a_' baby mama drama'_ approach to telling Heather." Everyone started laughing but me.

"It's a mystery!" I said emphatically. "Heather loves mysteries. I thought it was a good idea…" I looked down at my drink and started to twirl it. I thought about the story and its ending. I thought about the revelation of her mother…I was dreading it.

"Are you okay?" Mike asked noticing the sad change in my demeanor.

"Yeah, I was thinking about what happens at the end." Everyone nodded. "I hope she still loves me the same when she knows."

"Do we need to have a talk again?" Blaine asked hesitantly.

I shook my head. "No, Blaine. It's just that the feeling is nagging at me."

Artie patted me on the back. "She will. Heather will still love you." He paused. "We all agreed on that day that it was best to keep her in the dark about what happened for awhile. You would tell her, when you thought she was ready."

Puck added, "Yeah man. Heather shouldn't be paralyzed with hope." He took a bite of his food. "So, who are the mommy candidates?"

"Quinn, Mercedes, and Santan-"

"You speak its name?" Puck said with a bit of disgust. "I'm still angry about what she did to you in college. She ruined your reputation."

"And almost cost you your future." Mike added.

I sighed. "I remember being so angry at her. She was one of my best friends and she betrayed me. But on some level, I understand why she did it. She couldn't stand being here anymore. It was a way out."

"You're too forgiving, Sam." Mike said emphasizing each word. "I would still be angry."

I nodded, but then smiled. "Thanks Mike."

Mike raised one eyebrow. "For what?"

"Thanks, for being there for me back then. My life fell apart and you were there to help me through. You're a good person. You're a real friend."

Puck threw his hands up in the air dramatically. "What am I chop liver? What about the time I had to pull to the side of the road and knock some sense into you?" Puck said punching his right fist into his left palm.

"Thanks, Puck. For the…tough love?"

Puck nodded. "That's what I'm here for."

"I'm not that good of a person, Sam." Mike admitted.

I looked over at him confused. "Why would you say that?"

Mike took a deep breath. "Something I did a long time ago. I did something really bad and it still haunts me."

Everyone glanced confusingly at each other. We were trying to gauge if anyone knew what Mike was talking about. I was completely confused, and Puck and Artie seemed to be confused also. Blaine just looked off to the side.

We all sat there for a while in silence, before Puck spoke up.

"What did you do, Mike?" Puck asked jokingly. "Kill somebody?"

Puck's expression turned more serious when Mike didn't say anything.

I looked back over at Mike. "Um…Mike…"

"I didn't kill anyone." Mike finally said. "It wasn't anything legally wrong. What I did was morally wrong. It was very wrong and I am so sorry I did it. I hopes it doesn't come back to bite me in the ass one day."

"What did you do?" I asked. Mike looked sadly at me.

"I did it for Tina. I was angry at her for putting me in that position, but I eventually forgave her."

"But what was _it_?" Artie asked emphasizing it.

"I don't want to talk right now." Mike said.

"Mike, how is Mina?"Blaine asked.

"She is doing great. Tina is already driving me crazy with pre-school applications."

Mike and Tina had a toddler named Mina. They took the first two letters of his name and the last two letters of hers to make their daughter's name. I always thought it was funny how they were the first stable glee couple, but one of last couples to have a kid.

Mike said, "Tina is at home trying to find the perfect outfit for Mina to wear to the Jones' anniversary."

"You're invited, too?" I asked.

"Unlike you, Tina still calls them every once in a while."

Puck added, "Even I got an invitation and Mr. Jones still hates my guts."

"I got an invite." Artie said.

"They probably thought it was better to be safe than sorry with inviting you, Sam." Blaine said. "Considering what happened between you and Mercedes."

"I used to be like a son to them!" I added. "They still like me. Mrs. Jones said I could call anytime."

Blaine shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have an answer to why they didn't invite you. I just have hypothetical guesses."

"Wait! Do you hear that?" Puck said putting his hands up.

I listened to the background. A man on the front stage was yelling open karaoke, while a song played in the background. It was "Don't Stop Believin' by Journey." Mike, Artie, and Puck started to get very excited.

"Yes!" Artie yelled.

"Y'all really like this song, don't you?" I asked confused by the sudden excitement.

"Don't you remember? When the glee club sang this song, it was epic!" Puck exclaimed. He seemed confused by the blank looks Blaine and I were giving.

"Puck! They weren't there that year!" Mike explained.

"Oh yeah. Well, you guys have to see how fun it is to sing this song! Let's go on stage!" Puck said getting up.

"Now?" Blaine asked

Puck, Mike, and Artie convinced Blaine and I to go up on stage. We all sang the 'Don't Stop Believin.' The crowd started to cheer and even started joining in during the chorus. Puck was right. It was epic.


	16. Chapter 15: Tell You Something

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the song or anything.

Author Note: The song in the last chapter was 'First Love' by Karina. In case anyone wanted to know.

* * *

><p>It is Sunday afternoon and I am about to continue the story with Heather. Kurt had dropped her off about two hours ago. She wanted to know what happened next.<p>

"How was the movie, Heather?" I asked as we sat on the couch.

"It was amazing! I figured out the ending forty minutes in! I figured out the ending before Uncle Kurt!" Heather exclaimed. "I'm going to figure out who my mom is too!

"That's great, sweetheart. How was the rest of your evening-" Heather got up and grabbed my face. She smashed it between her hands.

"Dad. I love the small talk. But let's be frank. I've been waiting for this story for nine years. I'm slightly obsessed by it. I need to know why half of my parents are missing." Heather said as I nodded.

"Okay, if you let go of me, I can continue." I offered. Heather smiled and let go of my face. She sat down on the couch and waved for me to continue.

* * *

><p>When I woke up the second time, my entire family and Mercedes was in the room. I sat up and looked at them. "Guys?"<p>

Everyone looked at me but my mother ran over first to hug me. "Sam! I'm so happy you're awake! We were so scared that we were going to lose you." The rest of my family came over to hug me.

Stevie grabbed my arm. "Don't do that again! Don't go near guns. Stacy and I don't want to live with mom and dad by ourselves." Stacy nodded.

"I'm ignoring that." Dad said looking at Stevie. "Sam, I am so sorry. I should've gone to the ATM and given you the money the next day." The doctor walked in and said hello. She came in to do a quick check of my vitals.

"It's not your fault, Dad. I obviously should have picked a better place." I paused and looked at Mercedes who was still sitting in the chair. "Hey, 'Cedes."

Mercedes smiled. "Hey, Sam."

The doctor interjected, "You're one lucky young man. You recovered pretty quickly, once you were out of the coma-"

My eyes shot open and looked at everyone. "I was in a coma! For how long? What year is it? How old am I? Did I miss Avatar 2?" I heard Mercedes softly laugh at the last question.

My mom rubbed my head comfortingly and quietly shushed me. "You were asleep for three days and in and out of consciousness for two."

"You took a pretty nasty hit to the head, which was why there was so much blood. We were afraid you could have had brain swelling from the hit you took, but the tests didn't show anything." The doctor added. "You should be fine to leave in a couple days. Also, the stitches on your head will not even leave a mark. Any more questions?"

"I have stitches?" I put my hand to my forehead to feel them.

The doctor laughed lightly. "Yeah, you do." Her pager went off and she excused herself out the room.

"Mercedes, you can come over." I said waving her over.

Mercedes shook her head. "I didn't want to interrupt this family moment."

Stacy laughed. "Mercedes, you're family!"

* * *

><p>Later in the afternoon, the nurse came in to tell me I had visitors. Most of the glee club came to visit me. Mike, Tina, Puck, Quinn, Artie, Rachel, Lauren, Santana, Kurt, Blaine, and Brittany came as a group. My family left to give me time with my friends. After they left, the room was silent and everyone was staring at me. The stares and silence were uncomfortable and I was happy when Rachel spoke up first.<p>

"See everyone." Rachel said gesturing toward me with her head. "I told you guys he would be all right."

"Good to see awake, Sam." Mike said

"You scared us." Quinn added

"Thanks, guys." I scanned everyone's faces. I saw everyone was smiling except Santana, who looked upset.

"Are you okay Santana?" I asked.

She shook her head. "What were you thinking? Who gets out of a car into Lima Heights Adjacent at night?" Santana looked at me furiously while she started to raise her voice. "You stopped at an ATM! You were begging to get robbed! I cannot believe you." She paused. "Quinn was right! You and Finn scared all of us." She stopped and I saw some nods in agreement. "What possessed you to do that?"

I shifted uncomfortably on my bed not sure of what to say. "Um…peer pressure?" Not my best answer.

Santana stared at me. "Are you serious? Did you say peer pressure? I'm about to beat you into another coma."

"Enough Santana!" Mercedes interjected. "I know it comes from a place of love, but you need to stop yelling at Sam now. He is still recovering."

Brittany pulled Santana off to the side of the room and tried to calm her down. I looked at Mercedes and mouthed a 'thank you.' She nodded and sat back down in a chair. Rachel was standing next to Mercedes. I noticed something off about Rachel.

"Rachel…why are you wearing all black?"

Rachel looked down at her outfit and sighed. "I'm mourning, Finn.

I sat up in my bed and looked at everyone. "What? Mercedes told me Finn was okay."

"He is!" Mercedes interjected quickly before turning to Rachel. "Rachel explain your crazy before you give Sam a heart attack!"

Rachel nodded. "There were a few hours when I thought I would be a widow-"

"You are not married to him." Quinn interjected coldly

Rachel glared momentarily at Quinn before proceeding, "Nonetheless, I almost lost him-"

Puck threw his hands dramatically. "He was grazed! You didn't almost lose him."

"We didn't know it was just a graze at first!" Rachel said. "Are you all going to kept interrupting me?" The room was silent. "Anyway, Sam, I started to think. Finn lived, but what version of Finn really lived?"

"Oh my God, it sounds crazier the second time around." Kurt said

"Kurt!" Rachel said annoyed. "Anyway, who knows how his experience getting shot in the hood changed him?"

Santana whipped her head around and looked at Rachel. "Hobbit, did you say _hood_?"

"Let it go." Brittany told her quietly.

Rachel ignored Santana and continued her explanation. "What if it changed his personality? His worldview?"

Puck laughed. "A worldview? Finn? All he thinks about is TV, sports, and you."

Quinn scoffed at the mention of Finn thinking about Rachel, before Mike interjected.

"Also, he couldn't name three European nations when our geography teacher asked him." Mike added

Again, Rachel ignored everyone and continued her story. "What if Finn changed? What if some part of Finn died on that sidewalk?" With dramatic flair, Rachel stepped forward and breathed deeply. "I wear black to mourn the Finn I knew before."

"Wow." I said stunned. Mercedes was right about Rachel being crazier than usual. I guess you never know how near death experiences will affect people.

The door opened and Finn walked in. "I'm still the same, Finn. Rachel, please stop wearing all black." Finn said walking into the room. "How are you doing, Sam?"

"Fine. I want to leave this hospital. How did you get out so fast?" I said

Finn shrugged. "I only stayed overnight. They bandaged me up and gave me medication. I was okay to leave. Um…Sam, we need to talk."

Puck took the hint. "Guys, let's go into the hall. Finn has his serious face on."

* * *

><p>When everyone left, Finn sat in the chair the side of my bed.<p>

"What's up, Finn? What does it feel like to be shot?" I asked.

Finn chuckled. "What does it feel like to be in a coma?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't remember it."

"Sounds like you had it easier than me. I was in pain. You were asleep."

"Are we really going to sit here and compare injuries?" I asked. "I didn't think we were_ that_ competitive."

"Which is worse? Being shot or being in a coma?" Finn asked before answering his own question. "I think a coma is worse, but it is kind of cool."

"How?" I asked surprised

Finn shrugged. "It's like waking up from the dead. You get a second chance at life. I don't know…I would think everything seems more precious. You really think about what's important."

I nodded and looked out into the hallway. I saw Mercedes talking to Santana. Finn was right. Looking at Mercedes, I knew who was important to me.

"They caught the guy who attacked us." Finn said nonchalantly.

"Really?" I said snapping out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, they got him. The police had me pick him from a lineup two days ago. They found him in the park that night. The police said he was crying, scared, and-"

"Don't tell me that." I rubbed my face in my hands, before looking at Finn. "I feel really bad for him. I know what he was thinking and feeling about becoming homeless. Losing everything and becoming homeless in an instant is no joke. I know what it's like to be 16 and homeless."

"14." Finn said

"What? He was 14?" I asked shocked.

Finn nodded. "He is a freshman at another high school. When the police found him, he was screaming that he didn't pull the trigger."

"Did he pull it, Finn?"

Finn shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. It all happened so fast. One second I'm fighting for the gun, and in the next second the side of my stomach feels like it is on fire."

"Maybe he didn't shoot you intentionally."

Finn gave me a look of disbelief. "What are you saying, Sam? Don't defend him. He could have killed us."

"Finn, you don't understand. When your family loses everything and your life is falling apart, you just want it to stop. You want to save them."

"Sam, you got a job to help your family. Not a gun."

"You saw him, Finn. He was scared. I think he was trying to scare us."

"Scare us? With a _**loaded**_ gun? What he did was wrong and he is getting what he deserves."

"What do you mean?" I asked confused

"The cop I talked to said that the guy is going to be charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, possession of an illegal weapon, and resisting arrest." He paused, before saying the last part. "They are charging him as an adult. He will probably get at least 40 years."

"An adult? He's 14. You can't even legally drive yet." I sighed. "Finn, I don't know the kid, but 40 years seems excessive."

Finn sighed. "The crime level in Lima Heights Adjacent is ridiculously high. They want to make an example out of him. They are going to throw the book at him."

"He was trying to help his family. He had reasons. He had good reasons. He does deserve punishment, but he doesn't deserve 40 years."

"He doesn't deserve it!" Finn said shocked. "He shot me! He put you in a coma! Our families and friends have been through hell! We could have died."

"Two wrongs don't make a right, Finn. Is ruining his life until he's almost a senior citizen going to make anything better?" I paused. "I'm not pressing charges."

"What?" Finn asked shocked then sighed. "It's not your decision. The District Attorney is running for reelection and he is the one pressing charges. He wants to show he is tough on crime and he picked this case. It's out of our hands."

I shook my head. "Well, I'll write the judge a letter. I'll write about how I want the charges lessen."

Finn rubbed his forehead with his hand. "So, you're not letting this go?"

Before I could answer him, my dad and Burt walked into the room.

"Did you tell him?" Burt asked

"He told me everything." I replied "Dad, I don't want to press charges."

"Yes, you are." My dad said sternly. "He tried to kill you. That menace to society almost took away my oldest son. He's going get what's coming to him. He has to learn that you cannot just wave a gun in people's faces."

"Dad, he was getting money to pay the rent for his family. They were going to be homeless."

My dad sighed deeply and walked over to my side. He placed his hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes. "Sam, I know you sympathize with him but-"

I shook my head. "They cannot throw away a 14-year-old into prison for 40 years. It doesn't seem right"

"Sam's right." Finn interjected. "I'm not pressing charges either."

"The hell you aren't." Burt added. "You weren't awake when I have to comfort your crying mother. She thought she was going to lose her only son. Kurt was worried sick. He needs to be punished for toying with peoples' lives."

Finn shook his head. "Burt… not 40 years."

"Enough." My dad said. "We will talk about this later."

"Good idea. Come on, Finn. Let's go home." Burt said.

Finn and Burt started to walk out the room, but I called Finn.

"Finn." I said. "Thanks for having my back and for saving my life."

Finn nodded. "Anytime."

* * *

><p>Next week I went back to school. It was a pretty normal day. I got the occasional 'how are you?' question but that was it. The day went by fast. After getting my missed schoolwork for my teachers, I met up with Mercedes.<p>

"Hey gorgeous. What's up?" I said wrapping my arms around her shoulders.

"Nothing much. Glee club was canceled today."Mercedes said

"Why?"I asked

"You'll see." Mercedes said sheepishly while pulling me towards auditorium.

"What's going on? Why are we in the auditorium?" I asked

"I wanted to do something for you. When I told everyone else my idea, they all wanted a part. We want you to know how important you are to us." We walked all the way down the aisle instead in front of the stage. "Sit down. This is for you." I sat down as Mercedes walked away onto the stage. She walked to the center of the stage. She looked to the side of stage and nodded. Music began to play.

Mercedes looked directly at me as she sang the first verse.

_Get so caught up everyday  
>Tryna keep it all together<br>While the time it slips away  
>You see I know nothing last forever<em>

Quinn, Blaine, Kurt, Mike, Tina and Artie came from the left side of the stage. Quinn and Tina sang the first line of the verse, and then everyone else joined in. Well…Mike hummed.

_Imagine there was no tomorrow  
>Imagine that I couldn't see your face<br>There would be no limit to my sorrow  
>So all I can say<br>_

Santana, Brittany, Puck, Lauren, Rachel and Finn came from the right side the stage and sang the chorus with everyone else.

_I wanna tell you something, give you something  
>Show you in so many ways<br>'cause it would all mean nothing if I don't say something before it all goes away  
>Don't wanna wait to bring you flowers, waste another hour let alone another day<br>I'm gonna tell you something, show you something, won't wait till it's too late  
>I can't wait, I can't wait, I won't wait, I don't wanna wait<em>

This time, the people on the right side of the stage sang the verse with Santana and Rachel leading.

_Just a simple conversation  
>Just a moment is all it takes<br>I wanna be there just to listen  
>(I wanna be here)<br>And I don't wanna hesitate_

Mercedes sang the next verse by herself

_Imagine there was no tomorrow_  
><em>Imagine that I couldn't see your face<em>  
><em>There would be no limit to my sorrow<em>  
><em>'cause there's nothing that could fill that space<em>  
><em>I don't wanna put it off for too long<em>  
><em>I didn't say all that I had to say<em>  
><em>I wanna take my time and right the wrong before we get to that place<em>

Mercedes walked off the stage as everyone else stepped forward to sing the chorus together.

_I wanna tell you something, give you something_  
><em>Show you in so many ways<em>  
><em>'cause it would all mean nothing if I don't say something before it all goes away<em>  
><em>Don't wanna wait to bring you flowers, waste another hour let alone another day<em>  
><em>I'm gonna tell you something, show you something, won't wait till it's too late<em>  
><em>I can't wait, I can't wait, I won't wait, I don't wanna wait<em>

Mercedes stepped in front of me and grabbed my hands. She looked into my eyes as she sang the last verse.

_Just lean on my shoulder,  
>It's not over till it's over<br>Don't worry about it cause  
><em>_**I'm gonna make sure our bond gets stronger**__  
>I don't wanna wait till the storm and something wrong and now you're gone and I can't find you<em>

Mercedes and the entire glee club sang the chorus one last time.

_I wanna tell you something, give you something  
>Show you in so many ways<br>'cause it would all mean nothing if I don't say something before it all goes away  
>Don't wanna wait to bring you flowers, waste another hour let alone another day<br>I'm gonna tell you something, show you something, won't wait till it's too late  
>I can't wait, I can't wait, I won't wait, I don't wanna wait<em>

The song was over. I couldn't believe they sang a song to me. Mercedes was always telling me how the glee club was a family but this was the first time I felt like a significant part of it.

"Guys, that was amazing." I said "Thank you."

I looked at Mercedes who was still smiling at me. I leaned over and whispered into her ear, "I'm going to make sure our bond gets stronger, too."

She looked at me questioningly. "What do you mean?"

I gave her a quick kiss before saying, "You'll see. Come on." Mercedes and I walked on stage, where the glee club preceded to give me a massive group hug.

* * *

><p>Over the next two months, I tried to spend more time Mercedes and my family. When Stevie wanted to play with action figures, I played with him. I watched more Disney princess movies with Stacy. She was happy for the company. I talked to my parents more and tried to make them laugh more. On everyday that I worked, I would walk to Mercedes' house afterwards. I usually got there at 9:00 pm. It was usually only for an hour, because I had leave by 10:00 pm. But it was an hour with her.<p>

It was January. Everyone was already talking about senior prom and college plans. We had won Sectionals and had a good chance at winning Regionals. Mercedes and I talked about it one day when she giving me a ride home.

"Who do you think will get the solo at Regionals?" Mercedes asked.

"I don't know. Would I be considered biased if I said you?" I replied looking over at Mercedes, who was smiling.

Mercedes nodded. "I wish."

"You'll get it. I like Mr. Schue's idea of giving everyone a shot at solos this year." I said "Rachel wasn't too happy, though."

"Yeah, but change is good. Artie's rendition of "Knocks off My Feet" by Stevie Wonder killed at Sectionals." Mercedes said. "If we have more of a variety in singers, we could win Nationals this year."

Mercedes turned and pulled into a parking spot. I had something I needed to tell Mercedes. I wasn't sure how she would take the news, but I couldn't delay it any longer.

"Mercedes, I have good news."

Mercedes smiled. "What is it?"

"My dad got a job."

Mercedes reached over to my side of the car and gave me a hug. "Sam, that's great! I'm so happy for you."

I sighed sadly. "That's not all." Mercedes sunk back into her side of the car after hearing the tone in my voice.

"What else is there Sam?" Mercedes asked. We sat in silence for a couple seconds before she asked her next question. "Where is the job?"

"It's in Cleveland." I replied lowly. "It's still in the same state but it is like a two-hour drive away." Mercedes didn't say anything. She just stared forward.

"Mercedes, look at me."

She rapidly bombarded me with questions. "Are you moving? Are you leaving school? How long have you known?"

I sighed deeply. "Yes. I don't know. I found out this morning."

Mercedes turned to look at me. "You've known all day and you don't tell me until now?"

"I didn't know how to tell you. It was hard finding the right time to tell you"

"Are you breaking up with me?" Mercedes' voice broke a little. "Is this why telling me is so hard?"

"No, Mercedes." I got out of the car walked to her side and opened her door. She stared forward and didn't look at me. "Mercedes, look at me." She didn't turn. "Look at me." I said a little more strongly than before. She turned her body around to fully face me. "I would never break up with you. I don't know what is going to happen but we will make this work. I want to be with you and only you." I paused. "Remember what I told you I was going to make sure our bond gets stronger?"

Mercedes nodded.

"I meant it." I kissed her and hoped she believed me.

"So, you revisiting me almost every day wasn't your way of making our bond stronger?" She asked finally smiling.

I smiled back. "It was only a part of it."

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you going to do?"

"You'll see."

"Come on! You told me back in November!"

"It will be worth it. Mercedes, we're going to fine. Only if there is no Stanford or University of Tennessee, we'll be in Ohio State _**together**_ seven months from. If we're separated, it will only be for a little while."

Mercedes nodded. "I love you, Sam."

"I love you, too. That's all we need." We stayed there for a while, before Mercedes looked at the car clock.

"Sorry, Sam. I have to go. I promised I'd be home by 5:30."

I nodded. "See you Sunday?"

"Yeah. It'll be fun." Mercedes said closing the door.

I walked up the stairs to the motel room and watched as Mercedes pulled off.

When I walked into the motel room, everyone was there.

"Hey guys. I'm home." I announced walking in.

My mom put the books down that were in her hands and looked at me. "What did you say?"

"Um…Hi?" I replied confused.

She shook her head. "Did you say home? Not room, motel room, or the motel?"

I nodded. "Yeah, this is my home. I've been realizing lately that home isn't the place but your family." My mother looked like she was ready to cry when she walked over and hugged me.

"Sam, I am so happy to hear you say that." She let go, walked over to the table, and pick up a book. "This is yours. You have a library book. I think you should go and return it. It's due today."

"I forgot about this book. I'm going to go now before it closes." I walked toward door. "I'll be back in a half hour!"

* * *

><p>I walked into the library and walked off to drop off bin. When I dropped the book, I heard someone call my name. I looked over to see it was Quinn. I walked over to sit in a chair next to her.<p>

"Hey Sam."

"Hey Quinn."

"I'm glad to see you're doing better." Quinn said "When I heard that you and Finn got hurt, I didn't know what to think. I just wanted you guys to be okay." She closed her book before continuing, "The whole glee club was there in the emergency room. The doctors would not tell us anything for the first couple hours. All we knew was that Finn was shot and you were unconscious. You were breathing but they had a hard time waking you up."

I nodded. "My parents really haven't told me about what happened during those five days. I've only really heard bits and pieces of the story."

"I had never seen Mercedes so devastated." Quinn admitted

"After everything that happened, it just made me love her even more." I said smiling

"Oh…" Quinn said opening her book and picking up her pen. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks. I like the haircut." I said very belatedly. "I forgot to tell you earlier."

"Thanks. I needed a change." Quinn said writing

"What are you writing?" I asked

Quinn looked at me sheepishly. "I can't tell you. You're laugh at me."

"I won't laugh. Tell me."I said nudging her on.

"I'm writing down things about myself. I made a New Year's Resolution. I'm trying to find and better myself. I am also trying to get my friends back. Over the last two years, I've kind of severed my relationships. I miss being close to people, especially everyone in glee. I took Santana's spot as head cheerleader and fought with her. I ignored Mercedes and Tina. Lauren and I had our prom war. Rachel…well I never really cared for her. Puck and Finn…you probably heard about my eventful sophomore year. I cheated on you."

I nodded before she continued.

"I figured I should start by writing down things I know about myself. Like my favorite song, my favorite band, movie…"

"Your favorite song is 'Love Story' by Taylor Swift. Your favorite band is Paramore. Your favorite movie is Casablanca, because you think the airport scene is romantic."

Quinn looked at me shocked. "How do you know?"

I laughed. "You may not have really listened to me while we dated. But I definitely listened to you."

Quinn gave a sad half-smile. "Well, Love Story is no longer my favorite song. I learned the hard way that life is not a fairytale. I also figured out a long time ago that prince charming isn't going to save me."

It was sad seeing Quinn jaded and conflicted. I still cared about her. "I forgive you, Quinn."

"What?"

"I forgive you for cheating on me. I actually forgave you a while ago but forgot to tell you."

"Thanks for remembering to tell me."She looked at me and grabbed something around her neck. "I think I should give this back to you…"

She took off the necklace with the promise ring on it. She tried to hand it to me.

I shook my head. "I gave it to you, Quinn. It's yours."

"Take it." Quinn insisted "It has started to depress me lately. Also, I broke the promise attached to it so it really doesn't mean anything …anymore."

I sighed sadly. "It still means something, Quinn."

She shrugged her shoulders and looked at me. "What Sam? What does it mean?"

"I don't know-" I smiled after it hit me. I grabbed the necklace. "Give me your hand."

Quinn gave me her hand confused. "What are you doing?"

I grabbed her hand and wrapped the necklace cord around her two middle fingers. I wrapped the other end around my two middle fingers. The ring hung between us. "I'm becoming your first regained friend."

"With this necklace I, Sam Evans, promise to always be a friend to Quinn Fabray. I promise to always be a friend whenever she needed it." I paused and looked at Quinn, who was smiling. "See Quinn, it means something now." I started to retract my hand, but Quinn stopped me. "Quinn, what are you-"

Quinn smiled. "With this necklace I, Quinn Fabray, promise to always be a friend to Sam Evans. I promise to always be a friend whenever he needed it." She took the necklace back and put around her neck. "A promise can go both ways…Mrs. Jones told me that a while ago. "

I nodded. "She's really nice. I am actually going over to the Jones's house to watch football this Sunday."

Quinn looked at me. "Are you sure you're ready for that? Football can get intense at their house. I know I lived there."

"I think I can handle it."

"Okay. Just forewarning you, they're going to make you choose sides for the football game. I chose Mrs. Jones' side, and Mr. Jones did not let me forget it."

I sighed. "Honestly, the whole 'choosing sides football ritual' is the last thing on my mind."

"What's wrong?" Quinn asked

I pulled a ring out my back pocket and showed it to Quinn.

"Another ring, Sam?" Quinn looked down at it. "It's beautiful."

"It was my grandmother's ring. She told me to give it to a special girl."

"Now Sam, I am not trying to sound like a crazy ex-girlfriend, but don't give Mercedes a promise ring. The gesture may come off a little tacky. Give her something that'll make her feel special. I wouldn't want to be the second girl to get a promise ring."

I chuckled. "Thanks for the concern Quinn, but it's not a promise ring."

Quinn looked at me confused. "Then what is it?"

"It's an engagement ring."


	17. Chapter 16: Browns vs Bengals

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the song or anything.

Author Note: Sorry about the late chapter. I'm a college student and I try to write chapters when I can. My goal is to update weekly. The song in the last chapter was 'Tell You Something (Nana's Reprise)' by Alicia Keys. In case anyone wanted to know.

* * *

><p>"Dad! You had an engagement ring! Does this mean you were married?" Heather exclaimed. She started to rapidly write down notes. "This is a big clue, isn't! This may change my entire prediction!"<p>

I rubbed the back of my neck. "No, Heather. I've never been married, sweetheart."

Heather stopped writing and looked at me sadly. Daddy... I'm sorry."

Now, I looked at Heather with confusion. "Why would you be sorry?"

"If you have never been married, she must have said no."

I shook my head. "She didn't say no."

Heather's eyes widened. "Did she say yes? Why didn't you get married?"

"She didn't say yes."

"I'm lost, dad. What happened?" Heather asked scratching her head.

"Um… Well…"

* * *

><p>It was Sunday. I was going to spend the day watching the Bengals-Brown game with Mercedes' family. I was nervous. Actually, to say 'I was nervous' was an understatement. It took me almost two months to build up the nerve to ask Mr. Jones for his only daughter's hand in marriage.<p>

Before I asked Mr. Jones, I figured I needed to tell my parents. My mom left early for a job interview, so I didn't catch her. My dad was giving me a ride to Mercedes' house, so I took advantage of the time. I just told him my intentions about asking Mercedes to marry me. He was silent. I wonder if it was shock, anger, happiness, or anything. I stared down at my Tennessee Titans jersey and waited for my dad's response. My dad pulled in front of the Jones' house and stared at me. He definitely wasn't happy.

"Why Sam? Why would you settle down so soon? You have your entire life ahead of you." My dad shook his head. "No. You're not doing this. You're too young."

"Dad, Mercedes and I will both be eighteen in a couple months. We'll both legally be adults."

My dad looked forward and laughed. He mumbled adults in disbelief.

I ignored it and continued, "Besides, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" I asked. It was no secret that my parents had gotten married with they were seventeen too. They had been together for seventeen years and were still in love. I wanted that with Mercedes. "Dad, I love her."

"Marriage is hard work and a lifetime commitment." My dad said "You need to compromise, sacrifice, and work hard. Sometimes, love isn't enough."

"You and mom got married and you're fine." I said

"I love your mother and I don't regret a second of my life with her, But your mom and I got married young because we had to." He admitted

"Why did you have to get married?"

"Do the math, Sam. You're seventeen and we've been married seventeen years."

"What? You married mom because she was pregnant with me?"

"Yes. Having a child out of wedlock was frowned upon in our church." My dad looked at me seriously. "Is Mercedes pregnant?"

"No!" I yelled quickly. "I want to marry her because I love her."

"Mercedes is a sweet girl and I'm happy that she makes you happy. You can't get married. You both are too young."

"This is what I want, dad."

My dad sighed. "You're just as stubborn as your mother."

My dad grabbed me by the shoulder and looked me in the eyes. "I don't agree with this, but I'll support you in whatever you want to do. Just do me a favor?

"What?"

"Make it a long engagement."

I got out the car and waved goodbye. My dad pulled off and I walked to the door. I rang the doorbell and went over my prepared speech in my head. I planned on asking Mr. Jones after the game. The snow flurries coming down around me were surprisingly calming. The door opened and I looked over to see Deshawn. "Hey, Deshawn."

"Come on in, Nebraska." I walked into the foyer and could already hear the TV. "Put your coat on the coat rack." Deshawn said pointing to the coat rack. "So, Nebraska, there is something I've been meaning to ask you.

"What is it?" I asked putting my coat on the rack.

He looked over at me asked, "How does it-"

I looked over to Deshawn to see why he stopped mid-sentence. Hs stood tall with his fists slightly clinched. He was also angrily staring at me, which was making uncomfortable at me. "Deshawn…what's up? Why are you staring at me?"

He took a step closer toward me. "Get out my house now."

"What?" I said confused by the sudden change in emotion.

"I said get out my house." He said sternly "How dare you disrespect my house."

"What did I do?" I said while Mercedes walked into the room.

"What's going on?" She asked turning to Deshawn. "Why are you bothering, Sam?"

"Look at him, Mercedes." He said seriously. "He is being so disrespectful."

"What are you talking?" Mercedes turned toward and looked at my chest. "Seriously Sam?"

"What did I do!"

"Look at what you're wearing! A Tennessee Titans jersey?" Mercedes said in disbelief. "This is a Cleveland Browns house."

"This is a Cincinnati Bengals house." Deshawn said correcting her. "The sight of your sissy blue and white insults my manly brown and orange stripes."

Mercedes cut her eye at him. "The Browns are the better team. I'm not going to argue with you about this. We'll just see who wins." She said walking toward me.

"The Bengals will be victorious!" Deshawn said walking into the living room.

"Hey, Sam." Mercedes said giving me a hug. "Sorry about that. I think you look good in blue and white."

"It's fine."

"Did you find out if you're staying at school?"

I nodded. "I'm going to move to Cleveland, but my parents said I can finish my year at McKinley. I don't know how I can go to school there and I live two hours away, but my parents said that we'll make it work."

Mercedes hugged me tighter. "I'm so happy to hear you say that. I was afraid that I wasn't going to see you every day."

"I promise you will." I said comfortingly. "Now, come on. Let's go watch football."

* * *

><p>It was halfway through the second quarter, and the Browns were already losingbadly. The score was 28-0. It was a playoff game, which made it painful to watch a team perform so terribly. It was even more painful to watch Mercedes and Mr. Jones defend their team.<p>

"They are just having a rough first half! They'll come back!" Mr. Jones said defensively

"And that Bengals interception was a bad call!" Mercedes added. "They just need to score…five touchdowns…or four touchdowns and a field goal…"

"Listen to yourself!" Deshawn said laughing. "Five touchdowns! Stick a fork in Browns, because they're done!" He got up and did a small victory dance. "Bengals did their thing!"

Mrs. Jones started laughing. "Face it, the Browns are just bad. I'm surprised they made the playoffs." Mrs. Jones looked at Mr. Jones and tapped his knee. "Honey, I believe the bet was the loser did dishes for the week?"

Mr. Jones mumbled yes while Mercedes threw a couch pillow at Deshawn to get him to stop dancing. "The Browns are still the better team!" Mercedes said trying to convince everyone.

As soon as Mercedes said that, we turned our attention to the sports announcer on TV. He yelled,

"_Colt McCoy fumbles the ball! The Browns' quarterback fumbles the ball!"_

Deshawn laughs and Mrs. Jones shakes her head. "Mercedes, sweetie, you can still join our side." Mrs. Jones offered Mercedes. "Your father is a lost cause, but you can join. Being a Cleveland Browns fan is pure masochism. Stop putting yourself through this."

"I will never be a Bengals fan." Mercedes said emphasizing each word. "My allegiance is with the Browns."

I chuckled. Quinn was right. Football was really intense in their house. I thought it was funny how their house was divided down the middle when it came to Ohio football teams. Well, it was funny until they asked me to choose sides.

"I think we need a tiebreaker vote. Sam, which team do you think is better?" Mr. Jones asked before forewarning. "Choose wisely."

I shrugged my shoulders. "They're both okay. No one can compete with the Tennessee Titans." I said pulling up the collar of my jersey.

"Then why were they knocked out in the first round of playoffs?" Mercedes asked.

I shook my head. "'Cedes, you know that's still a sore topic."

"Pick one." Mr. Jones insisted. "The Browns are a great team."

"Fall back. Don't choose." Deshawn warned

"They are great at losing." Mrs. Jones countered. "Join the Bengals side. We have cookies." She said lifting a plate of cookies.

"Don't choose." Deshawn said eating a cookie. "I'm trying to save you!"

"Sam, do not join the dark side." Mercedes warned. "Besides, I am on the Browns' side."

I smiled. "How could argue with that? I choose the Browns."

Mr. Jones clapped his hands together and exclaimed, "I knew I liked you. You have good taste in Ohio football teams."

"Um… Thanks Mr. Jones"

"Please, call me Michael." Mr. Jones insisted. "But only during football games. Let's not get crazy."

"Okay." I turned to the Bengals fans in attempt to apologize. "Deshawn and-"

"Mrs. Jones. You call me Mrs. Jones all the time." Mrs. Jones said seriously. "Browns fan."

Deshawn shook his head. "I told you to fall back. Should have kept your mouth shut."

The game didn't change much as it went on. The Bengals scored another touchdown off the fumble. Deshawn did a couple more victory dances, which only infuriated Mercedes. I tried to pay attention to the game, but my mind kept wandering to the ring in my back pocket. My thoughts were racing. How could I talk to Mr. Jones alone? When would be appropriate time? Why are the Browns going for it on 4th and 15? Mr. Jones' yelling brought me out my thoughts.

"Are the referees serious? That was not a facemask!" He said yelling at the TV. "This game is fixed! The referees are being paid off! I know it!"

"Stop your whining." Deshawn said. The look that Mr. Jones gave him must have scared him because he changed his sentence. "I mean...um… the referees need to stop their whining."

"That's what I thought you said." Mr. Jones said before looking at the TV.

"_He lost it! He lost it! The Browns lose the ball again! The Bengals get it at the Browns'45 yard line!"_

"I'm done!" Mr. Jones yelled. "I can't take this anymore!"

"Me too." Mercedes said. "I can't watch this."

"I think I'll start dinner." Mrs. Jones announced. "This game is done. A team cannot come back from a score that bad. Michael, can you go pick up some flour? I need it for dinner."

"Sure." Mr. Jones said grabbing the car keys. "I need some fresh air anyway. I cannot believe I will not be able to watch my Browns until August."

Finally, it was the perfect opportunity to talk to Mr. Jones alone. "Mr. Jones, can I talk to you about something?" I felt Mercedes looking at me but I stayed transfixed on Mr. Jones for his answer.

"Can it wait, Sam? I should be back soon." Mr. Jones said putting on his coat.

"Um…yes. It is important, but it can wait."

Mr. Jones nodded and walked out the door. I looked over to Mercedes who a confused expression on her face. "What did you need to ask my dad?"

"I'll tell you later. Don't worry about."

"Is everything okay with you? You can talk to me."

"Trust me, Mercedes. If anything was wrong, I would tell you first." I said trying to convince her. "I just need to ask him something."

"Sam, it's-" Mercedes was interrupted by Mrs. Jones calling her from the kitchen.

"Mercedes, can you help me with dinner? I'll only need you for 10 minutes tops."

"Okay, Mom. I'm coming. I'll be back, Sam." Mercedes left the living room and walked down the hall toward the kitchen.

"The Browns were a bad choice. It is nothing but a road of heart and misery." Deshawn said still on the couch. "Oh, wait, you're a Tennessee Titans fan, so you know that feeling."

I laughed. "At least, the Titans have actually gone to the Super Bowl in the last twelve years. When was the last time that the Bengals went to the Super Bowl?" I asked arrogantly

"1988, but that is beside the point! My team is going to the next round of playoffs!" Deshawn countered.

"Only to lose."

"They have a chance." Deshawn said shrugging his shoulders. "At least both of our teams are better than the Browns. They've never been to the Super Bowl."

I nodded. "Deshawn, what did you want to ask me earlier?"

Deshawn smiled. "Yeah, I waited to ask you something. I've been working on this for the last few hours, 50 Cent."

"Did you call me 50 cent? Is this a belated joke about getting shot?"

"Yes, I wanted to tell this joke when you got out the hospital, but my mom said it would be insensitive. But enough time has passed for this to be funny. What is the difference between Tupac and-"

"I didn't get shot." I said interrupting him. "Finn did. I got hit."

"Ahhh, man. I worked hard on that joke." Deshawn said disappointed.

"Sorry to disappoint you_. I'm sorry I didn't get shot_." I said sarcastically

"It's okay. But it would've been a great joke."

I rolled my eyes. We both turned our attention back to the game, when half-time was over. The Bengals got the ball and were lining up. I started to go over my speech in my head when Deshawn asked me a question.

"So, do you mind me asking what you need to tell to my dad about?"

I was hesitant on telling him about my proposal, but I figured it would come to light eventually. There was no use in hiding it. I pulled out the ring from my pocket.

"I want to ask your dad for permission to marry Mercedes." I said showing him the ring. "Before you ask, Mercedes doesn't know."

I looked at Deshawn and he stared at the ring. He was speechless. I guess I should've expected that reaction. I was asking for his seventeen year sister to be my wife.

Several minutes passed and no one said anything. Deshawn continued to look at the ring. He finally moved by sinking back into the couch.

"Wow. Just wow." He said sighing deeply. "I'm not going to state the obvious."

"What is the obvious?" I asked

"You cannot marry my sister." He said very seriously, almost like a command. "Both of you are too young and immature."

"We are both very mature for our age. We both have been through a lot." I said just as seriously. "I know marriage will be hard, but I think we both can handle it. I love her and I know she loves me."

"Wait, you lost me at 'we are both very mature for our age.' Deshawn said in disbelief. "Mercedes Jones? The girl who complained to my mom this morning when I ate the last of the coco puffs? The girl who complains when she and Kurt can't pick the family movie of the week? The girl who-"

"I get it! What you said are little things. Both of us-"

"You may be even worse!" Deshawn exclaimed

"How am I worse?" I asked amused

"Didn't you also get into a fight with that new kid when he flirted with Mercedes?" He asked. "Was that mature?"

"I could have handled the situation better." I admitted. "But it was only one time that I lost it."

"Did you really think this through?" Deshawn asked. "How are you going to support each other? I know you say 'you love her' and all that, but this is the real world-"

"Trust me, I know about the real world." I said with slight anger. "I have learned a lot about life in the last two years. I know what it is like to lose everything. I know what it is like to work in order to support your family. I know what it is like to have to grow up practically overnight. I know what it is like to live in a room smaller than this living room. I know a lot." I sighed deeply before continuing. "I know what it is like to _plead_ for your life. I know what it is like to be scared to death. I know how precious life is."

"Nebraska-"

"I'm not done. I also know what it is like to be in love and I know it because of your sister. I look forward to seeing her. She is the best part of my day. I would do anything for her and I cannot think of anything better than to spend all my life with her. I never want to lose her."

"You have gone through a lot. I get it." Deshawn countered. "Marriage is final. Neither of you have even lived yet!"

"We'll experience life together. We'll get married and move onto Ohio State's campus. After we're finished with our degrees, I can get a job like the one I have now. I'll do it until we both find more suitable jobs and get on our feet." I explained

Deshawn leaned forward on the couch and ran his hands over his face. "You're just as hard-headed and determined as Mercedes is." He paused before looking at me. "You're not going to ask my sister to marry you. Don't ask her."

Some more anger started to seep through my voice. "I will ask her. Why wouldn't I? Why wouldn't I ask the girl that I'm in love with to marry me?"

"She will not marry you." He shook his head. "Mercedes is not getting married anytime soon."

He said it as though he had the final say, which catapulted me into full blown anger.. "Do you think she'll say no? Because-"

"No. I'm saying all this because I know she'll say yes. You are not going to ask her. You are not going to hold my sister back." He said indignantly

I took a deep breath to calm down. It made no sense to get into an argument with Deshawn. I started to speak calmly with less anger. "I would never hold Mercedes back. I love her and only want what is best for her." I said sincerely. "But nothing you can say will stop me from asking her."

"I know one thing that will stop you. Mercedes got into Stanford." He countered. "Don't tell her I told you. It isn't my place to tell you, but you need to know."

"What? That's amazing! She told me that they put her on the waiting list."

Deshawn nodded. "She did, but they made a mistake. They were supposed to send her an acceptance letter, not a 'wait list' letter from her 'early decision' application. She got the corrected letter last Thursday." He walked over to a table on the other side and brought me the letter. "Do you really think that she will go to California and leave her _husband_ behind? I know Mercedes would give up Stanford for you. I'm asking you to not let her. Marrying her right now would make her stay."

The room grew quiet. I stared at the torn envelope in one hand and the ring in the other. I knew it was selfish, but Mercedes' acceptance saddened me a little. It was her ticket away from here Away from me. I thought about the gravity of both the objects in my hands. There were two possible futures for Mercedes in each of my hands. As much as I wanted to propose to her, I knew Stanford was her dream. I couldn't be the reason she gave it up. I also couldn't imagine life without her. I didn't know what to do. As I continued to stare at the envelope and the ring, the sounds from the television filled the room.

_Touchdown Bengals! This is the 6__th__ Cincinnati Bengals's touchdown in the game! The Cleveland Browns' defense just shakes their head in frustration as Bengals continue to run the ball down their throats! Can __**anyone**__? Can anyone save this Cleveland Browns team?_

I put the ring in my pocket and gave the letter back to Deshawn.

"Grow a little, Sam. You and Mercedes can stay together just long distance." He sighed. "Sam, you're a good guy. You obviously care for, respect, and love my sister. As her brother, I can't really ask for more for her, but both of you are too young." He put the letter on the coffee table. "In the end, it isn't my decision. I strongly think you both should grow up a little before getting married." He leaned back in the couch. "Have you ever heard the 'us' expression? Sometimes, when you really care someone-"

"Don't say you have to let them go."

He shook his head. "No. When you really care about someone, sometimes you have to put 'you' before "us".

I sighed and leaned forward in chair. Again, my mind was racing with thoughts. I looked over to Deshawn who was waiting for my response.

"Someday, I will marry your sister."

Deshawn nodded. "We'll see, brother-in-law."

The door opened and Mr. Jones walked in.

"It is really cold out there! I cannot wait until spring." He said walking into the living room. He looked at Deshawn and me and then frowned. "Is everything okay? It seems a little tense in here?"

"It's fine." Deshawn said nonchalantly. "I think Sam wanted to ask you something."

"Oh, I forgot that fast! What did you want to ask me, Sam?"

The ring was burning a hole in pocket as I thought about what to say. It's funny how your intentions can change after hearing one word: Stanford.

"Mercedes was telling me that you know a special spiral move." I said thinking on my feet. "I was wondering if you could show me how to throw the football like that."

"Sam, I would love to." He said patting me on the back. "I've been waiting to teach that move to Deshawn ever since he was born. But someone-" He jokingly pointed to Deshawn. "only likes to play baseball. Apparently, football isn't good enough for him to play."

Deshawn rolled his eyes. "Baseball is America's past time! I respect it."

"Football is this house's pastime." Mr. Jones said. "I'll show you after dinner, Sam."

"Show Sam what?" Mercedes asked walking back into the room.

"My special spiral." Mr. Jones said walking out toward the kitchen.

"Um…I think I'll go…somewhere." Deshawn said getting off the couch and walking out the room.

Mercedes sat across from me and grabbed my hands. "Sam, there is something I need to tell you." Mercedes said eagerly. "It is about Stanford."

"What is it?" I said trying to act naive. "What about Stanford?"

"I got in!"Mercedes almost yelled.

"Mercedes! That's amazing." I said hugging her. "I'm so happy for you."

"I'm so happy, Sam! It's what I always wanted." She said hugging me back. "But it's only missing one thing."

"What's that?" I asked rubbing her back.

"You. My dream school is missing you." She sighed. "It doesn't seem as appealing."

"You're going to Stanford, 'Cedes." I said firmly. "We'll make it work."

"Really? I'm scared, Sam. Do long distance relationships ever work?" She asked sadly.

"Our relationship will work. We'll Skype, text, call, email…we'll do what we have to."

"It amazes me how confident you are about this." Mercedes said laying her head on my chest.

"It's only four months." I added. "We will have the winter break after fall and entire summer after spring."

"And we have this entire summer." Mercedes added. She finally seemed like she believed it could work.

"Exactly. We'll be fine."

"Thanks, Sam. I love you, Sam."

"Love you, too."

* * *

><p>"That's so sad, Daddy. Did you guys stay together?" Heather asked<p>

"I'm not going to give anything away. You have to figure it out."

"Well can you answer one question?" Heather asked.

I nodded and Heather proceeded, "Dad, if Mercedes hadn't got into Stanford, would you have asked her to marry you?"

"In a heartbeat."

Heather sighed "Dad, if you were so in love with her, why aren't you two together now?"

"It's complicated, sweetie." I shifted uncomfortably thinking about the things I said that day. "It's my fault we aren't together."

"What happened?" Heather asked concerned. "What did you do?"

"How about I finish the story?" I said deflecting the question. "We will get to that part of the story later."

Heather nodded. "Okay, I understand. What happened next?"

* * *

><p>It was Monday after school. Besides, my dad and Deshawn, Puck and Mike were the only two who knew about my proposal.<p>

"So, Sam, where is the future Mrs. Evans at?" Puck asked as the three of us walked down the hall.

"She is helping Rachel with a project." I said. "And she isn't the future Mrs. Evans yet."

"Yes!" Puck said doing a small pelvic thrust. "I told you, Chang! I told you he would chicken out. You owe my ten bucks."

Mike groaned as he handed Puck a ten from his wallet. "I really had faith in you, Sam." Mike added

"Its okay, Sam." Puck said as he put the ten dollar bill against the light to make sure it was real. "Even I was scared when I met Mr. Jones."

"Did you guys really bet on me?" I asked in disbelief. "Thank-you both for profiting at my expense."

"Hey! I betted on you!" Mike said defensively

"I didn't chicken out." I added. "Mercedes got into Stanford and I didn't want to be the reason she gave it up. I didn't propose to her."

"Don't you think it should be her decision?" Puck asked. "Mercedes can make her own decisions. She is a big girl. She can choose between you and Stanford."

I shook my head. "I'm not going to put her in that situation. I don't want her to give up her dream."

"Don't sell your place in Mercedes' life short." Puck countered "Maybe you are more important."

"Do you guys hear that?" Mike asked putting his arm out to stop us. "It sounds like someone is crying."

"I hear it, too." I said "It's coming from the auditorium."

We walked over to the back doors of the auditorium. There was someone in the front of the auditorium. It was a girl and she was crying. After listening for a little bit longer, I recognized the voice. It was Santana.

"Guys, I think it is Santana."

"In that case, I'm out." Puck said walking away. "A crying Santana is an unpredictable Santana. I'm avoiding that hurricane."

"Whatever, Puck." I said as Puck walked away. "Are you coming with me, Mike?"

Mike gave me a hesitant look. "Puck has a point…" He sighed "I'm behind you."

We walked down to the front of the auditorium and Santana looked startled. She tried to wipe away her tears, but we saw them. We walked toward her, but she backed away. Santana was defensively like always.

"What are you two doing here? Remedial math and Asian club?" Santana asked in a mean tone

"No. Asian club meets on Wednesdays…oh, was that sarcasm?" Mike asked

"What's wrong, Santana?" I asked worried

"Nothing. Go away." Santana countered quickly

"You know, you can talk to me. You can talk to us,"

"I know…it's just that I don't want to say it." Santana said crying "If I say it, it happened."

"What happened? Did something happen to you?"

Santana's voice broke when she said, "Brittany."

"What happened to Brittany? Is she okay?" Mike asked. "I saw her two periods ago. She seemed fine."

"No! Nothing happened to her!" Santana yelled.

I walked over and hugged Santana. "Santana, we can't help if you don't tell us what happened."

Santana was still crying but her tone was softer. "I broke up with her."

"Why? I thought you really cared about her." I asked confused

"It's a long story."

I let go of a sad Santana walked over to an auditorium seat. I sat down and shrugged my shoulders. "I have time. I'm not working today."

Mike sat two seats over from me and tapped the seat between us. "I got time, too."

Santana stared at us before wiping her eyes and sitting in the middle seat. She leaned on my shoulder and started the story. "Brittany got into the University of Maryland."

"What!" Mike practically yelled. "How? That is a good school!"

Santana shrugged. "She got almost perfect SAT scores." She smiled. "My baby is smart."

"Perfect scores?" I said shocked. "Brittany Pierce from Glee? Cheerio Brittany? Brittany who talks to her cat?"

"Hey! Don't talk about her! She is smart." Santana said defending her. "She told me that she bubbled her answers in the SAT scantron in the shape of a unicorn. She got 2350."

"What? She scored higher than me! I only got 2260." Mike said still in disbelief.

"What about her grades?" I asked. "Are they ignoring her GPA?"

"Brittany has a popular web show, been on Teen Vogue, a long list of extracurricular activities, two great letters of recommendations from Mr. Schue and Sue Sylvester, perfect SAT scores, and her ignorant grandmother is an alumna." Santana explained. "They made an exception for her."

"I don't understand. Why did you break up with her?" I asked

"Brittany's parents can't afford the tuition." Santana said on a sigh. "Brittany's grandmother on the other hand, is rich and connected. She doesn't approve of our relationship. She told Brittany that the Bible says her relationship with me is wrong. She gave Brittany an ultimatum: Me or college."

"What did Brittany say?" Mike asked

"Brittany told her she loved me." Santana said smiling. "She wouldn't let her bully us apart. So, I broke up with her."

"Why? She chose you." I asked.

"I wasn't going to let Brittany give up college for me." Santana said. "I wasn't going to hold her back."

I sighed and couldn't help but think how familiar Santana's situation was to mine.

"Sometimes, you have to put the other person before yourself." Santana said. "Or at least, that's what I tell myself."

"I think you should fight for her." I insisted "She makes you happy."

"Not happening, Froggy Lips." Santana said shaking her head. "Brittany is going to get a world class education and have a happy life. I will not ruin that for her."

I shook my head. "You're letting her grandmother win. I think you should honor Brittany's decision."

"At least Brittany got a decision." Mike countered. I knew Mike was talking about me not letting Mercedes choose between Stanford and me.

"Not the time, Mike."

"Whatever, Sam. Santana, when did you break up with her?" Mike asked

Santana started crying again. "Ten minutes before you guys walked in."

"It's going to be okay, Santana. I'll stay here as long as you need."

"Thanks, Sam."

"I'll stay until the 'Asian Heritage Month' committee meets." Mike offered. "I'm the president and we still have to plan out the final details of the celebration."

Santana rolled her eyes. "Thanks Mike."


	18. Chapter 17: Regionals

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

Author Note: I have had midterms last week and all this week. Sorry about the late chapter, but I am really trying to post when I can. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

* * *

><p>"Santana was really sad, huh?" Heather asked. "That was selfless of her."<p>

I shrugged my shoulders. "Depends on who you ask."

"What do you mean?" Heather asked curiously

"You'll see, so want to hear about the rest of senior year?"

Heather nodded. "How was it?"

I smiled. "The rest of senior year was amazing. Even though, it started out a little rocky."

* * *

><p>It was the day before Regionals. The entire glee club stayed after school to practice for the competition. We were practicing our group rendition of "Let's Go Crazy" by Prince. Everything was going great and we all had Mike's choreography down. We all started to focus on our harmonizing for backing up Santana's solo. Santana had gotten the Regionals' solo. We all decided the best song for Santana to sing would be "Hero" by Mariah Carey. After about a half hour of harmonizing, the inevitable glee drama started…<p>

"This is ridiculous!" Rachel yelled. "Why haven't I had one solo for competition this year? This group is not fully utilizing my talent!"

"Rachel, its okay…" Finn said trying to calm her down.

"No, Finn!" Rachel replied. "I sang my heart out at tryouts. I deserved the solo."

"Hobbit, it's mine and you are not taking it away from me." Santana said adjusting her microphone. "I'm finally getting the recognition that I deserve. You blew any solos with that stunt you pulled at Nationals last year."

Rachel was so angry to the point that she looked flustered. "That was Finn's fault! The solos shouldn't be withheld from me because of something he did." Rachel said quickly. As soon as she said it, she cupped her hands over her mouth. She turned around to see a hurt Finn. She dropped her hands and said sincerely, "I'm so sorry, Finn. I didn't mean it." She started to walk toward him, but he backed away.

Finn shook his head and said sadly. "Yeah, you did."

Rachel looked down at her feet guiltily. "I'm sorry, Finn."

"I can't believe you just put all the blame on me." Finn said picking up his bookbag. "You didn't exactly stop me." Finn started to walk out the room.

"Finn, wait!" Rachel said loudly "Where are you going?"

"I need to go and think." He said standing in the doorway.

"About what?" Rachel asked cautiously

"My future." Finn said bluntly and walked away.

Rachel took one deep breath and looked like she on the verge of tears. Finn and Rachel had been arguing a lot lately. It really started back in November when Finn was in the hospital. I think the shooting may have traumatized Rachel most of all. She was always calling him to make sure he was alive. Not okay, alive. Finn was getting tired of it. Finn's family was already constantly hovering over him. He didn't want his girlfriend thinking of him as fragile, too.

However, the biggest argument was always over New York. Rachel still wanted to go to New York, but Finn wanted them to go to college in Ohio together. Finn had talked to me about the New York situation before. He told me he knew Rachel's plans, but after almost year of dating, he thought he could convince her to stay. My advice for Finn was to go with his gut. The next week he revealed to me that he was going to tell Rachel that he would go to New York with her. At this point, after the latest argument in front of glee, I didn't know what he was going to do.

Rachel collapsed in chair and started to breathe deeper in fast shallow spurts. Mercedes sat next to her. She hugged Rachel and told her it would be alright in efforts to console her.

"Rach, he knows you didn't mean it." Mercedes said rubbing her back. "You know, Finn is a little on the sensitive side."

"He said 'His Future', Mercedes!" Rachel said. "What does that mean? Did he just break up with me?"

Mercedes shook head quickly. "No, sweetie. He just needs to think like he said."

"His future? Please, Rachel, Finn doesn't see past that day's dinner." Puck said more as a fact than consolement.

"Everything is going to be fine." Tina added taking a seat beside Rachel too.

"Hobbit, he'll be back." Santana said. "Both of you will make up and then you can have his tall, awkward, brown-haired, bad dancing, slow babies."

"Shut up, Santana!" Rachel quickly retorted. "Stop being so evil! Stop making everyone else miserable, because you are."

"Oh, I'm _evil_! I'm so _miserable_." Santana said mocking Rachel. Santana looked at Rachel and rolled her eyes. "I'm tired of you thinking everything is entitled to you. Finn is finally starting to realize what a pain you are."

Rachel got up and started walking toward her. "You better get used to I. Face it, you're going to be alone. I feel sorry for you." Rachel was obviously taking out her hurt on Santana. Santana asked for it, but Rachel started to go too far. "You are so mean that no one will ever want to be around you. Brittany realized it and ran away." Rachel pointed to Brittany, who looked down. Rachel walked closer into Santana's face before continuing, "Like I said last school year, the only job you are going to have is working on a pole!"

"That's enough!" I said walking between them. "Rachel, you're going too far."

Santana shook her head and walked around me. She inched closer to Rachel. "You're just jealous, Rachel. I'm pretty and you're not. I have the solo and you don't. I am a cheerleader and you aren't. I had Finn first and apparently you never did."

Rachel slapped Santana across the face. Everyone stood still in shock. No one had expected the argument to go this far so fast and it was so uncharacteristic of Rachel to slap someone. No one was more shocked than Santana, who stared at Rachel while rubbing her wounded face.

"I'm out of here!" Santana yelled pushing past Rachel. "I don't have to take this." Santana grabbed her things and started to walk out trying to keep some of her pride. "I don't need any of you. I'm leaving!"

"Leave." Brittany said softly. "You're good at that."

* * *

><p>"Aunt Rachel slapped someone? I can't believe it. " Heather said shocked. "She could have slapped my mother! I don't how to feel right now."<p>

"It was a crazy practice. It was one of the few practices that couldn't make it to." I said. "We really needed him there that time."

Heather nodded and started to write something down.

"What are you writing?" I asked

"I cannot show you yet. I'm working on my theory."

"In your theory, who is the mother?" I asked curiously

Heather closed the book. "You have your story and I have my thoughts." She shook the book in her hand and then put it back in her lap. "Let's keep them separate. I wouldn't want to corrupt the story with my thoughts. You could leave out important clues to me stumped."

"I wouldn't do that." I shook my head and smiled. "Did I ever tell you how smart you are?"

"Don't butter me up, dad! Continue with the story. How was Regionals?"

* * *

><p>Regionals was insane and not in a good way. Santana was a no show. Mike hurt his ankle. Rachel and Finn were still arguing. Blaine was being harassed by the Warblers, because they thought he was a traitor. The overall group morale was low.<p>

"What are we going to do, Sam?" Mercedes asked me while we were back stage. "Santana isn't here and Mike is hurt! Mike is our lead dancer during the Prince song and Santana is our lead vocalist during the Mariah Carey song. We go on in twenty minutes."

"I don't know Mercedes." I said shaking my head. "Santana isn't returning any of my calls or texts. Mike said he dance through it."

"Mike is still hobbling." Mercedes said pointing at Mike, who was trying to dance. His dancing looked lopsided since he hurt his right ankle.

I took a deep breath. "There is nothing we can do, but hope for the best."

Mercedes nodded. "Let's go sit down." Mercedes pointed to a secluded bench in the back. We sat down in silence and worry. We all had worked too hard for everything to be over now. I looked over at Mercedes who had a dejected expression on her face.

"Everything is going to be fine, Mercedes." I said putting my arm around her shoulder. "We still have a chance."

"Do you hear the other groups?" Mercedes said sadly. "They're really good, especially the Warblers.

"They are not better than us. We beat team last year and we'll do it again." I said. "Tina is getting ready. She can do Santana's solo."

"Again, Blondie, I'm amazed at how confident you are about this right now." She said resting her head on my shoulder. "Tina hasn't had a chance to practice."

"You have to be optimistic, baby. Everything will be okay." I said putting my other hand beneath her chin. I tilted her head up and looked in her eyes. "Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?"

Mercedes smiled and nodded, before closing her eyes. I grinned, before leaning down and kissing her. We lost track of time and the next thing I remember is Santana yelling at me.

"Sam!" Santana yelled walking toward us. Mercedes and I stopped and started at her. "Sam, are you serious? How can you two can be making out a time like this?"

Mercedes looked slightly startled by her question, before she stood up. "Us? Where were you? You were supposed to be here three hours ago! You can't just show up whenever you feel like it. Mr. Schue gave Tina your solo."

Santana shook her head. "No, she doesn't have _my_ solo. I am going to sing. It's what we practiced and Mr. Schue will choose me. Right, Sam?"

Mercedes and Santana both looked at me and I sighed. "Mercedes is right, Santana. This is a competition, and Tina is getting ready. We needed you and you weren't here."

Santana looked hurt and a little betrayed. "Can anyone ever take my side? Just once." She looked up at ceiling and looked back at me. "I'm here now. Doesn't that count?"

"Santana,-" I was cut off by Brittany abruptly walking toward us.

"Where were you?" Brittany asked sadly. "I told them to wait for you. I told them to trust you, but you don't show up until 12 minutes to the show."

Santana stared at Brittany. "Brittany, I'm sorry."

Brittany put her hand up to stop Santana's apology. "I don't want to hear it. You disappointed me. You've done nothing but hurt and disappoint me lately." Brittany sighed deeply and looked off to the side. "I thought you loved me."

"I did it for you." Santana retorted. "You'll have a better life."

Brittany shook her head. "That's crap, Santana, and you know it. You did it for you. Our relationship was real and it scared you." Brittany stepped closer to Santana. "I chose you. I wasn't going to leave you, like your other boyfriends or your dad. I would never leave you or hurt you. If you weren't so guarded, Santana, you would see that."

"I don't have abandonment issues, Brittany." Santana said angrily.

"Yes, you do. You hurt and leave people, before they hurt you. You have to learn to trust people." Brittany sighed. "I wish you didn't have to learn the hard way, but Rachel was right. I do feel sorry for you." The look of hurt on Santana's face from Brittany's last statement was heartbreaking.

"I do love you, Brittany." Santana said lowly.

"Then why does your love hurt?" Brittany asked sincerely and then walked away.

Mercedes and I had stood by while the discussion transpired. The silence between Mercedes, Santana, and I was awkward. I looked at Mercedes, who was looking at Santana. She walked over to Santana and wrapped put her hand on her shoulder. "Um…I think you can still get that solo back if you apologize to everyone." Mercedes offered with sympathy in her voice.

"Mercedes, Sam. I need your help. I want to change the song."

We were going on in less than ten minutes. We both looked at her in disbelief and said in unison. "You WHAT?"

* * *

><p>After much talking, Santana convinced Mr. Schue into changing the song last minute. Santana sang "Someone Like You" by Adele. It was heartbreaking. She sang with so much emotion that even some of the judges cried. The judges and audience obviously thought she was a great performer, but the glee club and I knew differently. She was living the words. Santana wasn't too subtle when she stared at Brittany the entire time she sang.<p>

Our group performance of "Let's Go Crazy" was fun and the audience loved it. Mike danced through it and he was great. He danced as though he wasn't even hurt. The glee club gave a standing ovation backstage.

After all the performances, we stood up stage with the other top two groups. One was the Warblers and the other was a girl group from Columbus HS. We all waited in anticipation for the announcement. When the announcer called out our name, we went crazy.

We won Regionals. Truth be told, Santana was the reason we won.

* * *

><p>"The glee club had a lot of drama didn't it?" Heather asked<p>

I nodded. "Drama was an understatement. It was more like living in a soap opera."

Heather laughed. "I don't know if I want to start a glee club, anymore."

I smiled. "You're starting a glee club at your school? That's great, sweetheart." I said enthusiastically. "It'll be so much fun."

Heather nodded. "Your story inspired me. Katy, Melissa, and I are going to ask our teachers if it is okay." Heather smiled. "Aunt Rachel always said I have a great voice and that I could sing on Broadway one day."

I laughed and couldn't help but think that Rachel was trying to turn Heather into a mini-Rachel. "You do have a great voice."

"Thanks, Dad." Heather said reading over her notes. "You haven't talked about Quinn for a while. What is going on with her?"

"Well, speaking of Quinn, I probably should move on to Senior Prom."

* * *

><p>Senior prom was even better than junior prom. Glee was once again the band for prom. Instead of "Friday", we decided to "Last Friday Night" by Katy Perry. The best part of prom was that I didn't have to share Mercedes with anyone. I sat in my seat as I watched Mercedes and Tina sing "Teenage Love Affair" by Alicia Keys. I was so engrossed in the song that I didn't even notice Quinn sit down next to me at first.<p>

"Sam, you can stop staring for a second." Quinn said waving her hand in front of my face.

"Huh?" I turned around to see Quinn. "Hey, Quinn. How is prom going for you?" I asked

"Uneventful."

I frowned and Quinn shook her head. "It's okay, Sam. Uneventful is nice. Junior Prom was way too eventful and drama filled. Senior Prom is nice, uneventful, and drama-free. How about you?"

"It's great. I could actually afford a suit this year." I said popping my collar. Quinn laughed.

"You and Mercedes seem to be having a lot of fun." Quinn added. "I saw the dancing…please don't try to dougie ever again."

"I thought I was doing it well." I said dancing in seat and Quinn started to laugh again. "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

Quinn nodded and playfully said, "Yeah, it was bad."

I stopped dancing and shrugged my shoulders. "I'm no Mike."

Quinn nodded and bummed my shoulder with hers. "Nope, you're Sam."

I smiled. "Quinn, what are you doing after we graduate? Everyone has been talking about plans except for you."

Quinn smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't want to say anything until it was final."

"What was final?"

"A program that I applied for." Quinn answered. "It's called "Give a Year". You give a year in another country and volunteer there. I'm going to Ghana."

I was pretty sure my eyes bulged out of my head. "You're going to Ghana? Like Africa? For a whole year?"

Quinn nodded. "I'm going to be leaving in a couple weeks. I'm so excited. Even though, the amount of shots I had to get wasn't fun." Quinn said belatedly rubbing her upper arm.

"I-I'm shocked, Quinn. What you're doing is incredible." I smiled and shook my head. "Wow, Humanitarian Quinn, who would have thought of it?"

Quinn chuckled. "The only down side to it is that the amount of calls I can make are limited. The internet usage is limited, too. I'm going to be sending a lot of letters as my main form of communication."

I nodded. "Like Dear John?"

Quinn looked at me surprised. "Yeah. I never thought about it that way, but it sort of is. I always liked letters though. They're much more personal, because you know the person actually took the time to sit down and write something for you." She looked down at her corsage before looking back me questioningly. "You watched Dear John?"

"Um…I had no choice. Kurt and Mercedes picked the weekly family movie at the Jones." I shrugged my shoulders. "It was actually pretty good."

"That's nice. They are really nice people and they go out their way to make you feel at home." Quinn's expression turned slightly sadder. "I miss the family movies."

"You should go see them. I'm sure they would be happy to see you."

Quinn shook her head. "It's been too long."

"I still think you should, but anyway I'm really proud of you, Quinn." Quinn had made a lot of progress since our conversation in the library that day. She was friends with everyone again and on good terms. She joined student government and the student environmental group. Quinn defended Rachel when Jacob Israel went after her, which surprised everyone. She even helped Tina run for Prom Queen. "I'm surprised you didn't run for prom queen this year."

"Prom Queen was just a title that I wanted to feel good about myself." She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't need it anymore…um Sam, whatever happened with the ring? Mercedes hasn't said anything yet."

I shook my head. "Deshawn talked me out of it. Mercedes is going to Stanford, and I didn't want her to stay because of me. I didn't ask her."

"Oh. That was nice of you."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Not everyone thinks so."

"Who wouldn't think that was kind of romantic and selfless?" Quinn asked.

"Mike, Puck-"

"Puck can be selfish sometimes." Quinn said slightly cold. "When I was pregnant with Beth, we jokingly talked about running away together once. The thing was that, I think he was serious." Quinn sighed. "I think it really hurt him to have to give up the baby."

"What about you?" I asked

"I miss her, Sam. I miss her so much." Quinn let out a quick laugh and looked at the ceiling. "I wonder what she is like, who she became, does she look like me? I think about her every single day." She looked back at me with sad eyes. "It is like a part of me is walking around somewhere on this Earth, and I don't know her. I don't know that part of me."

I grabbed her hand squeezed it. "Quinn, it will okay. Maybe, you'll meet her one day. " I smiled at her. "It'll happen. Beth has to know how cool her 'Humanitarian Quinn' mommy is."

Quinn smiled. "Thank-you, Sam."

I nodded and watched as Mercedes walked off the stage. "Sorry, Quinn, I have to go."

Quinn nodded. "I understand, but Sam can you do me a favor."

I nodded. "Sure, what is it?"

"Don't dougie."

"I make no promises!" I said walking away

Like the year before, Mercedes and I unapologetically did every dance we could think of. The biggest surprise of the evening was the winner of prom king and queen. Well...not as surprising as last year. Even though she didn't even run, Quinn won with write-in ballots. Finn won prom king. Rachel wasn't too happy about the pairing. Ironically, after trying so hard junior year, Quinn didn't even want the Prom Queen title.

* * *

><p>"Quinn wins Prom Queen?" Heather asked writing in her notebook.<p>

I nodded. "Shocked everybody."

"Did you vote for her?" Heather asked.

"I voted for Tina." I shrugged. "Quinn didn't want it."

"So, dad, what happens next?"

I smiled. "My favorite part of the story so far: Nationals in Nashville."


	19. Chapter 18: Romeo and Juliet

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

Author Note: I had writer's block, and then writer's flood. This is longest chapter that I have written, so I hope you guys enjoy it. :) (Continuation of A/N at the end of chapter.)

**Warning: **There are some different science fiction movie plot references in this chapter. I hope it doesn't ruin the plot if you haven't seen these movies.

* * *

><p>The next big event for glee club was Nationals. I was so excited. Actually, to say I was excited was an understatement, I was ecstatic. It felt so good to be in Nashville again. It felt like I was home. I saw places and people that I had not seen in about two years and my accent seemed to heighten with being back there. Everyone definitely noticed. The glee club started making fun of my suppressed Southern accent going into overdrive. I think I said more y'alls, howdys, and reckons than I had the whole last year.<p>

When we got to the hotel, we were put in rooms by twos. Apparently, Ms. Pillsbury had booked too many rooms. We usually just had three rooms. One room was for the girls, one for the boys and one for Mr. Schue. We had nine rooms. The boys were paired off in these combinations: Artie/Blaine, Kurt/Puck, and Finn/me. The girls were paired in these combinations: Tina/Rachel, Lauren/Brittany, and Quinn/Santana. Mike and Mercedes each got their own rooms since there were extra.

The Nationals competition was the next day and Mr. Schue woke us up early in the morning to practice in Quinn/Santana's room. We had our original song planned this year, before we even got there. So, by 12 pm, we had our performance down pack.

"I'm so bored!" Puck complained after practice. "What is there to do in this city?"

"A lot. We have museums, malls, and theatres." I said. "It's a great place."

stood up and got our attention with a clap of the hands. "Alright, guys. Everyone has been working hard in preparing for the past several weeks, so I think we need a little break. We could see a little of the city and have a little fun while we are here." offered, before looking over at me. "Sam, this is your city. Do you have suggestions?"

I nodded. "Um…what about the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum? It's a big tourist attraction."

"Everybody goes there!" Artie complained. "Where do people who actually live here go?"

"Um…When I lived here, I was only ever in a few places. I was usually either at home, school, the mall, or-" I paused and thought about the last place. I thought it was a great idea. I didn't know if the group would want to go there, but it was ten times better than any tourist attraction. It was home. "If you are open to it, I take you guys meet some of the nicest, most wonderful, authentically Southern people I have ever known. One is the best cook in all of Nashville and the other is the best storyteller ever."

Everyone looked at me questioningly, but stared to nod one by one.

"Where are these people?" Mr. Schue asked

I smiled. "They live about ten blocks from here in a corner house."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe we are spending our <em>earned <em>free time to go see Sam's grandparents!" Santana said crossing her arms. "I don't even go to see my own grandparents."

"It's a short visit, Santana." Mr. Schue said as the group walked onto the block.

"Stop complaining, Santana. Sam hasn't seen his grandparents in almost two years." Mercedes said. "He misses them."

"I really do." I admitted walking up the stairs onto the porch. "This is the house."

"This place is huge." Mike said and everyone nodded in agreement.

I looked around the pouch of the three-story brown corner house. It was just like I remembered with the two white wooden rocking chairs. The porch floor was brown with a green rug on the porch. They were the only people I knew who had a rug on the porch. My grandfather said it the place more 'homey'.

I noticed the front windows were opened, which is something my grandmother does in the spring and summer time. She loved the way the light from the outside would fill the living room. I rang the doorbell and anxiously waited for the door to open. A couple of minutes passed and no one answered.

"Maybe no one is home?" Quinn asked

"Yeah, dude no offense, but the Country Museum is starting to sound good now." Finn said leaning on the wooden porch banister.

"Give it a couple more minutes. They're here. I know it." I said ringing the doorbell again.

"Come on, Sam. They aren't home." Mr. Schue said.

I rang the doorbell one last time and hoped someone would answer. It would seem like a huge waste to be in Nashville and not see my grandma and grandpa. Everyone started to walk away, except for Mercedes and me.

"I'm sorry, Sam." Mercedes said sincerely. "I know you really wanted to see them-"

The door opened. I smiled when I saw my grandma open the door. She looked surprised to see me.

"Sammy!" My grandmother yelled elated while she hugged me. "I haven't seen you in almost two years. You've gotten so big and handsome. Oh my, you look just like your father." She hugged me tighter. "I've missed you and your family so much."

I heard Mike and Artie snicker from the steps. "She said Sammy."

My grandmother looked behind me and noticed the glee club behind me. "Oh, Sammy! You've brought friends!" My grandmother stepped back into the house and motioned for us all to come in. "Come in! Come in! Everyone have a seat and make yourselves at home."

I looked around the house. It was exactly how I remembered it except for the new television and clocks. "When did you get digital clocks grandma? I thought you liked the grandfather clock in the hallway?" I asked

"It broke, Sam." My grandmother said bringing in a plate of cookies for everyone to eat. "Your uncle Paul said we needed to update anyway. Something about coming into the twenty-first century. I didn't know what he was mumbling about."

I laughed. The new clocks reminded me of a joke. "Hey, grandma, what did the digital clock say to the grandfather clock?"

My grandma smiled and shook her head. "What did it say, Sam?"

"Look grandpa, no hands!"

I got two pity laughs from Blaine and Lauren, but it was mostly silent.

"Clocks have hands?" Brittany asked confused

"I don't think I have ever met anyone as corny as you, Sam." Tina said sitting down next to Mike.

"Trust me, you will, dear. Oh, Sam, you're grandfather will be so happy to see you!" My grandmother said elated. "He was just talkin' about you, Stevie, and Stacy."

I smiled and introduced everyone by name. I concluded with Mercedes. "And this is Mercedes."

My grandmother smiled. "Oh, this is the little girl you're always talking about on the phone." My grandmother looked to Mercedes. "Sweetie, you've got this one. I love him, but I swear sometimes he'll talk my ear off when he brings you up on the phone." A huge blush spread across my face as I looked at Mercedes who was smiling. I heard more snickers from the group. "Thanks, grandma."

"Oh, hush, Sam! It's nothing to be embarrassed about. It is nice to meet all of y'all, especially you darling." She said looking at Mercedes. "It is nice to finally put a face to the name."

"Thank you, ma'am." Mercedes replied

"Y'all must stay for dinner. I had just started cookin' when the doorbell rang." My grandmother offered, but Mr. Schue protested.

"We really don't want to impose. It was really supposed to be a short visit." Mr. Schue said, but my grandmother put her hand up.

"It's no trouble, darling. I could have dinner whipped up in no time." My grandmother insisted. "It isn't just any day that I get to cook for my grandson and his friends."

"Can we stay, Mr. Schue?" Artie asked eating a cookie. "These cookies are amazing."

"Can we? She is offering free food." Blaine added quickly, which earned a chuckle from Kurt.

"Well, is everyone okay with this?" Mr. Schue asked the group. Everyone nodded in agreement. "Thank-you for having us. We would love to stay."

After finished talking, the front door opened and my grandfather walked in with grocery bags from the Piggly Wiggly market. "Delilah, the lines were really long and those teenagers are so slow-oh!" My grandpa said seeing the glee club. "Speaking of teenagers, we seem to have company." He looked around the room before he saw me. "Samuel." He said dropping the grocery and walked over to hug me. "I've missed you, my boy. How are you? You gave your grandmother and me quite a scare, when you got hurt last November."

"I'm fine." I said hugging him tighter. "I missed you so much, grandpa." I heard awws and some chuckles from glee club but I didn't care. I was so happy to see him again. It had been way too long.

* * *

><p>Even though, it was only supposed to be a short visit, we stayed all afternoon. After about an hour, the group split up into two. The girls stayed in house with my grandmother to help with dinner and the boys went outside with my grandfather. All guys each grabbed a fold up chair and sat in a circle in the grass. My grandpa sat at the top of the circle as he told another one of his famous war stories.<p>

I tried to listen to the story but my mind wondered to memories of playing in this backyard as a kid. I remembered camping out with my grandfather, Stevie, and Stacy, while my grandfather would teach us constellations. I looked over at the shed where my grandparents kept the camping equipment. The shed was next to the kitchen window. I heard the girls laughing and then I saw Mercedes through the window. She was smiling and holding a bowl of brown batter. It was our one year anniversary tomorrow and I had something special planned for her. My attention was brought back to my grandpa's storytelling, when it had suddenly become very animated.

"And there I was!" My grandfather said using hand motion to tell the story. "My troop and I were being attacked by Charlie, the enemy. We were out of ammo and they were closing in fast! We had to think fast. I looked over at my men. There was a mixture of shock, fear, and determination on their faces. Just then one of my men pulled his last grenade out of his back pocket." My grandpa stands up and begins to act out the rest of the story. "He tosses the grenade to me since we all know I can throw pretty far. I took a deep breath, counted to three and yelled 'Get down!' Then I stand up, pull the latch, and threw it as far as I could. After throwing, I jump to the ground and use my arms to cover my face from the scattering dust of the explosion. After about two minutes had passed, when my troop and I stood up. We had won our first battle and we were able to save the people in the nearby village." My grandpa sat back in his seat. "It was a memorable day."

"Wow." Puck said impressed. "You're like an American hero."

My grandpa laughs. "I reckon I should probably stop. You, young men probably don't want to hear an old man go on about his glory days."

"Are you telling them about the war?" My grandma asked walking over with a tray of glasses of ice tea. She gives us each a glass and we all thank her. "They don't want to hear about that. Everyone just tell him to stop talkin'. That's what I do."

My grandpa smiles and grabs my grandma's hand as she is walking away. He looks at her and kisses her hand causing my grandma to blush. "Stop it, Phil!" My grandma says hitting playfully on the shoulder and walking back into the house.

"Sam, your grandparents are adorable." Blaine said low enough for only me to hear.

"Next month, it will be 48 years since we got married." My grandfather said smiling.

"That's great." Mr. Schue said. "48 years is an impressive commitment."

"That is a long time." Kurt added bluntly. "It's like my life about three times over."

"Way to make a man feel old." My grandfather said. "But it hasn't been long at all. When you are with the right person, it feels like yesterday. Time flies." My grandfather chuckled. "I remember when I first saw her. I was at a friend's party in 1962. I was leaning against the wall talking to my friend about joining the army when I saw her. Delilah was sitting alone at a table in the middle of the room. I remember that the light seemed to shine on her. Oh, I had never seen anything so beautiful in all my life."

I remembered this story. However, this was the first time I actually pictured myself when he was telling the story. It reminded me of junior prom night, when I was leaning against the wall. I saw the light shine on Mercedes. I asked her to dance. Is it possible for experiences to be hereditary?

"What did you do?" Blaine asked my grandfather.

"Well, I walked over and talked to her." My grandfather said reminiscing. "I knew then that she was my gal…of course she didn't think so."

"She didn't like you at first?" Finn asked slightly surprised

"No. She told I was just like the rest of boys in this city. Dreamers with no real plans." My grandfather took a sip of his tea. "Then I told her you have to dream, because there ain't no plan worth having if you don't dream about it."

Everyone nodded as my grandfather continued, "Sam, you're grandmother was a tough one to crack, but she worth it. It took two years of determination, persistence, and courting but I got her to marry me. We were both only 18 at the time. It was the happiest day of my life when she said yes." He smiled and looked around at all of us. "Listen, I'm not going to sugar coat it. In life, there were good days and bad days. Some days were really bad, especially the first couple months when I came home from war. People were rude to us, because they associated soldiers with the war. It was a rough time, but coming home every day to her." He shook his head happily, like he was remembering something great. "Coming home to her made my bad days good. It made my good days amazing. How could I be sad when she answers the door? Don't tell her though, I'll deny it."

I laughed. "No, you won't. You always tell me not to tell, but then you go in and tell her after the story."

My grandfather nodded. "You're right. I don't want you to tell her. I want to tell her myself."

"I think that Rachel and I will have a good life like that." Finn said shifting his glass in his hands. "We are moving to New York City together after we graduate high school. We had a couple of rough times lately, but everything has gotten better."

"I think I know which girl you're talking about." My grandfather said. "Yes, you and the girl with short blonde hair seemed really smitten with each other earlier."

An awkward silence filled the circle. I had noticed Finn and Quinn earlier that afternoon. It looked like flirting, but I didn't think much of it. I looked over at Finn who seemed shocked and a little embarrassed.

"This is _awkward_." Artie said singing awkward a little.

Finn awkwardly stammered, "Um…no…Quinn isn't my girlfriend…anymore… Rachel is. The blonde girl isn't Rachel."

"My apologies. I shouldn't have presumed." My grandpa said

Silence quickly overtook the group and no one was more uncomfortable then Finn. He seemed to move around a lot in his seat. Puck finally broke the silence with a surprising but serious question.

"Mr. Evans, since you have been married for so long maybe you can answer this. How do you know if you're in love?" Puck asked.

A serious expression overtook my grandfather's face. His brows furrowed and forehead wrinkled thinking about the question. After about a minute he shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in his chair. "I don't know the answer, but I can tell you an old man's experience."

"You're not old, grandpa." I said. "You're only 66."

"Sam, I get senior citizen discounts, mail from AARP, and I'm the only one here who knows of the beauty that is Kim Novak. I'm old." My grandfather explained.

"Ahh, Kim Novak." Artie said smiling.

"I stand corrected." My grandfather said chuckling at Artie. "Anyway, love is subjective. Love is kind. Love is always saying you're sorry, because the woman is always right. Remember that, because it will save you a lot of arguments." He pointed to all of us. "I always knew I would love Delilah from the first time I saw her. However, I really didn't know what we had until we were away from each other during the war. I've learned that _time can take away pain but it can't take away love._ When I was away from her, I thought about her more. I could be gone for months and it always felt like a part of me was missing." He paused. "Love needs friendship. She is my best friend. I can tell her anything and she will always accept me. Love should be rooted in friendship." He sighed. "I'm going to stop rambling, because only you can know what love feels like to you. If you love her, you'll know."

Puck nodded and thanked him. We didn't know it at the time but my grandfather's advice had a huge impact on Puck. During that summer, he would propose to Lauren. After about a year away at school, they would get married the next summer at age 19.

"Dinner's ready!" Santana yelled from the doorway. Everyone started to head inside, but my grandfather stopped me.

"Sam, can I talk to you?"

"Of course. What is it?" I asked.

"Sit down." My grandfather and I sat down in two seats adjacent to each other. "Your father told me about you tryin' to propose to your girlfriend."

"Oh…were you and grandma shocked?" I asked

"Not at all given our family history. Sam, you do not have to get married so young. I know I sound like a hypocrite, but it's true. "

"Grandpa, I love her. I wanted to do it, but I didn't go through with it." I said shrugging my shoulders. "She got an opportunity of a lifetime and I didn't want to get in her way."

"It's probably for the best. Someone needs to break this Evans family tradition of always getting married before 20." He said

"Well, apparently, dad didn't have a choice. Mom was pregnant." I said remembering the car conversation.

"Sam, your father had already had the ring before he knew she was pregnant." My grandfather said

I was shocked. "He insinuated that I was the reason that they got married."

"Well, you sealed the deal, but your father and mother were going to get married before they found out about you. So, tell me about this Mercedes girl. She seems nice."

"Mercedes is amazing, grandpa. She is talented, pretty, and smart. She is so kind-hearted. She helped me babysit Stevie and Stacy and she stayed at the hospital when I got hurt. Mercedes is only girl who will read comics with me." I paused and looked at him. "Over the past year, she has become my best friend."

"You're scaring me, Sam." My grandfather confessed. "You sound just like your father seventeen years ago."

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked

He shook his head. "I guess not. I'm happy for you, Sam. I want you to have all the happiness in the world."

"Thanks."

"But I do worry about your brother, Stevie. Your father told me that Stevie's teacher said he has two little girlfriends and he is the sixth grade! That boy is a whole new breed of Evans. I bet he gets it from your mother's side of the family."

I laughed. Suddenly, I heard Santana yelling again from the back door. "Do you need a special invitation, Trouty Mouth? Dinner is ready!"

"Trouty Mouth?" My grandfather asked.

"Don't ask." I said

* * *

><p>Dinner was a Southern feast made by grandma with the help of the girls. There was fried chicken, ham, mashed potatoes, homemade biscuits, and vegetables.<p>

Everyone was laughing and talking. It was amazing to see my glee family and my real family together.

"The food is amazing." Mr. Schue said

"Thank-you" Lauren replied

laughed, "I was actually talking to Delilah."

"Well, you should thank her. I couldn't have made this dinner without the help of these young ladies." My grandma said.

"It's a miracle." Mike said eating. "You got Tina to cook."

Tina gaped and playfully kicked him underneath the table. Mike playfully said owww.

"Sam, I'm upset with you." My grandma said seriously. "Mercedes, tells me you're going to play quarterback at Ohio State. You didn't tell us this."

A small wave of guilt hit me. I assumed my dad had already told them.

My grandfather looked at my grandmother before settling back to me. "You're playing quarterback, Sam? Why didn't you tell us? This is wonderful news. It gives me an excuse to watch more football."

"I'm sorry, Sam." Mercedes said sincerely sitting next to me. "I kind of assumed she knew."

"Its fine, Mercedes. It isn't your fault." I said before my attention to my grandparents. "I thought my dad told you. I got a full athletic scholarship to Ohio State. I'm going to be the second string quarterback."

My grandfather started to laugh. "That reminds me of a joke. Sam, what did the coach say to the vending machine?"

"What did he say?"

"Give me my quarterback!"

My grandfather and I started laughing. I always thought my grandfather was an underrated comedic genius. After about ten seconds, I turned to everyone else and saw no one else was laughing.

"Wow. Sam's sense of humor finally makes sense." Tina said.

"It's genetic." Kurt added

"Is corny genetic?" Brittany asked Quinn seriously. Quinn started chuckling.

"No, dear, but looks definitely are." My grandma said answering Brittany's question. "I want to show you all something." My grandma walked away and came back with a picture.

"Do you always have to show that picture?" My grandfather asked.

"Yes. The resemblance is amazing." My grandmother said sitting back in her seat. She passed the picture to me.

"I remember this!" I said. It was a picture of my grandfather before he went to war. In the picture, he was in complete uniform with a grey backdrop. "I always liked this picture." I passed to Mercedes.

I chuckled at her reaction. Mercedes was somewhat shocked at the resemblance between my grandfather and me. "Wow. Sam, you look exactly your grandfather. You have the same smile and everything." She passed it to Blaine.

"It looks like Sam went back in time to take this." Blaine added before passing it to Kurt.

"Minus the Justin Bieber hair cut." Kurt said. Everyone started laughing, except for me and my grandparents.

"For the last time, my hair was like this before Bieber came out!" I exclaimed

"Are you sure you want to stick with that story, Lemon head?" Kurt asked warningly before passing the picture along.

"Um…ah…can you pass the vegetables?" I said deflecting the question. Kurt laughed and passed me the vegetables

"Who is Justin Bieber? What is a lemon head?" My grandma asked

"Um…lemonhead is a candy!" I said. I was proud that I actually came up with a good answer so fast.

"Justin Bieber is Sam's celebrity look alike, Ms. Paula Deen." Santana answered

"You're so sweet, darling. Do you think I really look like Paula Deen?"

Santana nodded. "Cook like her too."

"Wait, did you just call Santana sweet?" Finn asked. Now, it was Finn's turn to get kicked underneath the table.

"Owww!" Finn said in pain after Santana kicked him.

"Sam, it really does look like you!" Rachel said "It looks like 'vintage Sam'."

"Vintage? Did you just call me old?" My grandfather asked

Rachel eyes bulged out, before she exclaimed, "No! No! No! I was just saying-"

"I'm joking, sweetheart." My grandfather said. "I know I'm old."

My grandmother chuckled. "Well then, I need to trade you in for a newer model."

Everyone laughed at my grandmother's joke, even my grandmother.

"Now _that_ was funny!" Puck said

"Sorry, honey." My grandfather said. "I'm not going anyway."

"On that note, I think it's time that we get going." Mr. Schue said. "I promised the kids to get back earlier for a full night's sleep."

"No. You promised that to Rachel." Quinn added

"I respect that. A man always has to keep his word." My grandfather said. "What did I always tell you, Sam?"

"A man's word is his bond. That's that." I said

We all helped clean the table off and put the food in the kitchen. Mr. Schue thanked them one more time for having us. Everyone said goodbye and started to walk out. I hugged my grandparents one more time before leaving. On the walk back to the hotel, Mercedes walked next to me.

"I'm happy you got to see your grandparents." Mercedes said. "You should have seen the way your face lit up when you saw them."

"I missed them so much." I said grabbing her hand. "You and grandmother seemed to hit it off."

"Yeah. She is so nice, Sam. She taught me a new way to cook ham." Mercedes said. "She wouldn't teach the biscuit recipe, though. Apparently, it is a secret family recipe. She said only family can learn it."

I chuckled. If Mercedes only knew what had almost transpired four months ago. "Maybe, one day, she can teach it to you." I said before kissing the back of her hand.

Mercedes lowered her voice so that only I could hear. "I did learn one thing from this visit."

"What did you learn?"

"You would look really good in uniform."

* * *

><p>We had our original song planned this year, before we even got there. Mercedes got the solo at Nationals. She said "Happy" by Leona Lewis. Her performance was amazing and powerful. We placed 2nd and everyone was ecstatic. We beat Vocal Adrenaline, who came in 8th. It was a great day. In celebration, Mr. Schue let us explore the town, but we had to be back for the 10 pm curfew.<p>

Mercedes and I decided to celebrate our one year anniversary, but she didn't know that I had the date already planned. The entire club went back to the hotel and mostly everyone went out. Finn and I walked back to our room. He decided to come back and he finally finish his letter.

"I cannot believe I wrote a letter asking the judge to go easy on the guy that shot me." Finn said closing the seal on the envelope.

Finn and I had convinced our families to let us write letters to the judge asking for a lighter sentence. They thought we were crazy, but something about a kid going away to jail for decades didn't sit right with me.

"It's the right thing to do, Finn." I said reminding him. Finn passed me his letter and I put in the pocket of my blazer with mine.

I was currently getting ready for my anniversary date with 'Cedes. I wore a black blazer, jeans, shirt, and sneakers. I looked over at Finn, who was reading the hotel movie list. I looked over the clock and saw it was 6:34. I was supposed to meet Mercedes at 7:15, and I didn't want to be late, especially since the date was time sensitive. After about ten minutes of checking to make sure that I had everything, I noticed Finn was still looking at the list. And he had his spacey look again.

"Finn, are you okay?" I asked sitting on the adjacent twin bed. "You've been staring at the same list for ten minutes."

"Huh?" Finn asked seemingly coming out of deep thought. "What did you say?"

"Are you okay?" I said again slightly slower. "You've been kind of down since we got back. Were you not there when we got 2nd place at_ Nationals_?"

Finn sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. "I've been thinking. I've been thinking about what your grandfather said yesterday."

_I knew where this was going._ "Like I told Kurt, I don't care what you think. My grandfather is not corny. He is a comedic genius. He was telling quality jokes yesterday."

A confused expression spread across his face. "Jokes? I'm not talking about his jokes. Honestly, though Sam, you're grandfather is a really nice guy, but he is cornier than you." Finn said. "It was something else he said."

"The war stories?" I asked

"No…" He replied nervously. "Um…what he said about me and Quinn."

It became really quiet as Finn looked down at his hands. The silence wasn't awkward or tense or anything. I just didn't know what to say.

"Ummm….what about Rachel?" I asked "You really cannot keep flip flopping between them, man."

"I'm not leaving, Rachel." Finn said quickly "I'm so confused…I don't know what I'm doing."

"What's new?"

"HaHaHa…Funny." Finn said sarcastically. "I'm serious though, Sam. I really don't know what I'm doing."

I was more confused than Finn. There must be a background story or I'm missing something. "What are you confused about, Finn? Where is all this coming from?"

"Your grandfather was right." Finn admitted "I was flirting with Quinn. I think I may have feelings for her…again."

"What?" I asked "When did this start?"

"Before Regionals." Finn admitted "Remember when I stormed out during practice? You know, that day before Regionals. Rachel had blamed me for her not getting solos."

I nodded and Finn continued, "Well, after I left the glee room, I went to the bleachers on the football field. I sat there for an hour thinking about my future and what I should do. I mean…when did I become old enough to leave home? When did I become a legal adult?"

"I think we have all been asking ourselves those questions lately." I admitted. "Why the bleachers?"

"Quinn and I used to sit in the bleachers in 9th grade and talk about our futures. I thought it would be the best place to think. It's kind of funny. As soon as I thought of her, I saw her. Like magic."

"Magic? Have you been hanging around Brittany?" I asked

Finn laughed and relaxed a little bit. "Anyway, I saw Quinn was walking down the bleachers. I called her over and we both asked what the other was doing there. She sat down and we talked. I mean really _talked _about everything, like we used to in the 9th grade, before everything happened. It felt right talking with her and we have been talking every day since-"

"What about Rachel, Finn?" I asked again. "I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, but Rachel seems really fragile now. She went a little crazy that day when you left."

"Yeah. I heard." Finn said low. "I love Rachel. I really do, but I have been thinking about Quinn a lot lately. Haven't you noticed like over the last couple months that she is better? I don't know…she's more kind, carefree, personable, beautiful…She is the old Quinn. The one I fell in love with."

"I've noticed, but Finn, you're right. This is messed up. You, Kurt, Blaine, and Rachel are moving away together to New York in a couple of months."

"And Quinn is moving to Africa." Finn added sadly. "Who does that?"

"Obviously, Quinn does, she is doing it for herself." I sighed. After thinking about, I guess I should have seen this coming. The prom/king situation at senior prom should have been a sign. "I also noticed how happy you were when it was Quinn named prom queen." I said

Finn nodded. "I think Rachel noticed too. It was one of the first things that Quinn said she wanted with me in the 9th grade and it came true. She wasn't even running. Don't you think its fate?"

"Finn, are you sure that you aren't just getting cold feet about New York?" I asked

"No…I don't know…Rachel and I argue all the time. Sometimes I wonder 'What happened to us? Why are we doing this?'"

"You told me that you loved her. You're both probably scared about the big move. Moving in together is a big deal. Maybe, these feelings for Quinn are a way out, because you're scared…"

Finn groaned. "God, Sam! Now, I'm even more confused!" He sighed and buried his face in his hands. "Well, explain this to me then."

"What?"

Finn took his face out of his hands and looked at me. "My phone rang last night. I jumped to grab it, because Quinn was supposed to text me. And…" Finn seemed hesitant with admitting the next part. "…my heart sank a little when I saw it was Rachel. Is that nerves?" He asked seriously

I was speechless. "I don't know what to tell you, Finn."

"Well…" Finn said "Welcome to my world."

I looked over at the clock. It was 7:20.

"Damn it. I'm late!" I said running to the door. "Finn, get ready!"

"I'll meet you there!"

* * *

><p>I ran up to Mercedes' room to pick her up for our date. I could not believe I was late. I took a deep breath and tried to straighten my clothes. I knocked on her door. When she opened the door, I remember just thinking about how beautiful she looked in her pink dress and how she was suddenly taller.<p>

"You look beautiful." I emphasizing each word and stepping closer. "Did you get taller?"

Mercedes laughed. "It's the heels."

I looked down to see her wearing high heels. "Nice."

"So, where do you want to go?" she asked

"I have it all planned out." I said as she looked at me questioningly.

"How do you have it planned out so fast? We have only had plans for two hours." Mercedes said walking into the hall.

"Yeah, I've been planning this date for the past week. It's a good thing that we made top ten or our moods would have been more miserable than when Neytiri found out Jake was a traitor."

Mercedes shook her head. "No, the mood would have been more miserable than when Thor was stripped of his powers." Mercedes had a small grin on her face that screamed _beat that. Was this a challenge?_ _Was this a sci-fi challenge?_ _**She was going down.**_

We both started walking down the hall. "Okay…the mood would have been more miserable when Harry found out Spiderman was his best friend."

Mercedes gave a small smug chuckle. "That's all you got? The mood would have been more miserable than when Rachel (from Batman 2) realized she was going to die."

_Damn it. That was good, but mine was better. _"The mood would have been miserable than when 'the last man on Earth' Will Smith had to kill his dog. His only companion."

"Not bad, Evans. The mood would have been more miserable than the ending of Cloverfield."

"I completely agree… but the mood would have been-"

Mercedes and I kept going with our sci-fi challenge until we got to part one of our date. Even though, I never wanted to have another 'park date' again, I knew Mercedes loved them. Also, this park was special.

"The mood would have been more miserable than Wolverine when he had to kill Jean Grey." Mercedes said. "Can you top that, Blondie?"

Mercedes had been so engrossed in the game that she didn't even notice where we were. "The mood would have been more miserable…than me if I don't get a kiss in the next ten seconds…"

Mercedes playfully made a thinking position with her fist beneath her chin. "Well…I guess you're going to miserable…"

I gave her an overdone fake sad expression with a tilted head and pouted lips, but she shook her head. "Your puppy dog eyes don't work, sorry."

I sighed and shrugged my shoulders. "At least I tried-"

Mercedes cut me off with a kiss. She pulled away and smiled at me. "Sam, I couldn't let you be more miserable than Lois Lane after Superman left! Oh! I win!"

I shook my head and grabbed her hand. I led her out into the park and up the hill to the top, where there was a blanket already laid out. I looked back at her and smiled. "No, Mercedes, I definitely won."

Mercedes blushed. "How did you get the blanket here?"

"I had some of my old friends lay it out. Come on sit down."

Mercedes sat down and then gasped at the view. "Sam…you can see the entire city from here. It's beautiful. The sunset is beautiful. It's like a really warm orange."

I sat down next to her. "Yeah. I thought you would like it. I used to come here all the time when I was younger. The view never gets old." I felt a warm breeze hit my face. There was nothing like Nashville in the spring.

I felt Mercedes rest her head on my shoulder. I looked down at her and I knew then that I had never seen anything so beautiful in all my life. The sunset seemed to make her glow. I chuckled at the look of pure wonderment on her face.

"What's so funny?" She asked

"You. Mercedes, you should see your face. The sunset has you mesmerized."

"Boy, it's not every day that you get to watch the sunset on a hill." Mercedes said.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I reckon you're right."

This time, Mercedes laughed. "Did you say reckon? Do you know that your Southern accent has really come out since we've been here?"

I rubbed the back of neck. "Sorry-"

Mercedes sat up straight and furiously shook her head. "Never apologize for your accent." She looked down at her hands as I stared at her. "It's kind of hot…actually it's really hot."

I smiled as I felt this warm, comforting feeling inside me. "Really?"

Mercedes nodded. "Yeah. I loved it when your accent would come through sometimes."

"Well, good to know, darlin'." I said with my accent. I smiled and looked back out at the sunset. I admired the sight of the city and sighed. "There's something about this place, Mercedes."

"It's your home, Sam. Of course, it's special to you."

I nodded. After a few minutes, I noticed the sun was nearly set. I figured it was time for next part of the date. "Do you know if you close your eyes that you can hear the music playing sometimes?"

"What?"

"Music. When I was younger, I would sit up here and close my eyes. Sometimes, I thought I could hear the music playing."

Mercedes rolled her eyes, but she did play along. "What songs did you hear?"

"Close your eyes and listen. Don't you hear it?" Mercedes eyed me suspiciously before closing her eyes.

I gave the signal to my 'old friends' to play the music. Finn, Puck, Mike and Artie come out from there hiding spot getting ready to sing "Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum. Puck strummed his guitar and they started to sing.

Mercedes eyes snapped open and stared at me in disbelief. "Where is that music coming from?" She looked at back and saw the guys. "What are they doing here?"

I smiled. "Singing you a song, Baby Doll."

"Did you just call me Baby Doll?"

I stood up and offered her my hand. I nodded, while I helped her off the ground. "I think it could be my nickname for you."

Mercedes smiled. "I actually like it."

"Good. Would you like to dance?"

Mercedes gaped slightly before laughing. "Wow, you really did plan this out. How cunning Mr. Evans. You actually had me thinking that this date was at least partially my idea."

"Well, Ms. Jones, you were worth the trouble. Will you dance with me?"

"I'd love to." I pulled her closer, before placing my hands on her waist. She put her arms around my neck. The guys sang:

_Lyin' here with you so close to me  
>It's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe<br>Caught up in this moment  
>Caught up in your smile<em>

We swayed to the music and enjoyed being in each other's arms. I wanted to enjoy how things were now, before everything changed. In a couple months, Mercedes would be moving to California, but right now she was here. She was mine.

_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight  
>Just a touch in the fire burning so bright<br>And I don't want to mess this thing up  
>I don't want to push too far<br>Just a shot in the dark that you just might  
>Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life<br>So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight_

The song eventually ended, but we still continued to dance. "This date was really nice, Sam."

I kissed the top of her head. "It's not over yet."

"Good. I want it to last as long as possible."

"Sam! Mercedes! We're heading back!" Mike yelled

"Yeah, have fun." Artie said

"Thanks, guys." I said. "Finn, we should be back by 10pm, but if not could you cover for us?"

Finn nodded. Then Finn, Mike, Puck and Artie left and went back to the hotel.

Mercedes looked up at me. "Sam, this was one of the sweetest-"_** Stomach growls**_

My face turned red after hearing my stomach growl so loud. "Ummm…I guess I'm hungry."

Mercedes laughed. "Come on, boy. Let's grab something to eat."

* * *

><p>We went to a street vendor and ordered food. I saw Mercedes start to grab her purse but I stopped her.<p>

"Mercedes, I'm paying for it." I insisted

Mercedes shook her head. "Its okay, Sam. I can pay for it-"

"No, Mercedes. You already paid for enough of our dates, when I couldn't afford it. Now, that I can keep my paycheck from my job, you're not paying for anything."

Mercedes nodded. "Okay, Sam. I don't see why it's a big deal-"

"The shots that it took to my pride were a big deal. I'm an old-fashion guy, Mercedes. I want to take care of my girl."

Mercedes snorted. "Next, you'll say you want me barefoot and pregnant."

I laughed but then said, "No, but maybe you could sit in the corner of my room…with your high heels on." I eyed her up and down and she laughed nervously.

"Boy, you're something else."

We sat down at a table and ate our food. We talked about college and the Avatar 2 movie that was coming out the next year. After dinner, it was time for the last part of the date.

"Mercedes, I have something I want to give you." I pulled out a long box that I had been carrying in the pocket of my blazer. She seemed surprised by the box as I handed it to her. "I wanted to give you something that would celebrate our anniversary and show you how much you mean to me."

"That's so sweet, Sam, but you didn't have to get me anything." Mercedes said

"Yes, I did. You deserve this and more. You stuck around with me through my homelessness, injuries, and everything. You never gave up on me or said it was too much. It meant a lot to me. You mean a lot to me."

Mercedes smiled. "You're worth it, Sam. I would do it all again."

I smiled back. "Open it."

Mercedes opened and gasped at the gold necklace. "It's beautiful, Sam."

"Open the locket." I said eagerly

Mercedes smiled. "It's a picture of you and me." She paused and looked at me. "And it's inscribed with 'Forever Yours.'"

"I mean it, Mercedes, we're going to be separated by a lot of miles and different time zones, but I think this relationship is worth it.

Mercedes seemed like she was trying not to cry, but a couple of tears broke through and rolled down her face. I wiped them away. "Don't cry, Mercedes."

"How do you know exactly the right thing to say?" she asked "Sometimes, I feel like our time together is a dream."

"You too?" I asked jokingly

"Shut up." She said playfully hitting me on the arm. "If someone would have told me that this would be happening two years ago, I wouldn't have believed it."

"Believe it." I looked at my watch and saw it was 10:05 pm. "We have to go back, Mercedes. It is past 10 pm and I still have to put these letters in the mailbox."

Mercedes nodded. "Could help me put this necklace on before we go?"

I smiled and nodded. Mercedes lifted her hair. I put the necklace around her neck. I connected the clasp, and then we headed back to the hotel.

* * *

><p>I walked Mercedes back to her room.<p>

"I had a really nice time, Sam." Mercedes said opening her door.

"Me too." She turned around to look at me. I tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear and kissed her. After I pulled away, I said. "Good night, Mercedes."

Mercedes grabbed my arm. "Sam, you don't have to leave." Mercedes said stepping back into her doorway.

I looked at her surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you can stay with me tonight."

"Are you sure, Mercedes? I know you've never-"

Mercedes nodded. "I love you, Sam. I've thought about this. I want my first time to be with you."

"I love you too, Mercedes."

Mercedes grabbed my hand and tilted her head towards her room. "Come in."

We walked in and I closed the door behind us. I felt my heart start to beat rapidly. I took my blazer off and sat next to her on the bed. I kissed her and then grabbed…um…ah…

* * *

><p>I looked over at Heather who was listening intently to the story. She wasn't going to hear this part of the story. "Um…then …I grabbed the checker board and we played checkers."<p>

"Really? I thought you and Mercedes did the 'birds and the bees'." Heather said as she shrugged her shoulders. "What happened next?"

"Umm…well...I'm going to be honest, Heather. I'm uncomfortable right now, so I'm going to skip to the graduation."

"Okay, dad"

* * *

><p>We had all just received our diplomas. There was a mixture of emotions. Some people were sad, happy, ecstatic, weepy, and everything in between. The entire glee club had gathered in a circle after the ceremony.<p>

"Well, it's the end of the road, guys." Mike said

"But a start of a new chapter." Finn added hugging Rachel. Finn had decided to move with Rachel and start a life with her. He loved her and he thought they deserved a shot.

"I think we all need to make a glee promise!" Rachel said enthusiastically

"What on Earth is a glee promise?" Kurt asked

"We all need to promise that our glee family stays intact. We all promise to be there for each other. Good and bad. We will all keep in touch, and never lose contact." Rachel said

"I 'glee promise.'" Quinn said "I also promise to write to all of you while I'm in Ghana."

"I promise." Blaine said "Kurt and I are only a phone call away." Kurt smiled and rested his head on Blaine's shoulder.

"Ditto." Kurt said

"I 'glee promise', too." I said. "If anyone needs me, call me. Anytime, day or night."

"I 'glee promise'." Mercedes said. "I'll always be there to listen."

"I 'glee promise'." Artie said. "Glee club for life!"

"I 'glee promise'." Puck said. "You're guys are my family."

"Family is always there for family." Finn said completing Puck's saying.

Everyone else said the 'glee promise', but we all said goodbye. We all went on separate ways that day, but we always found our way back to each other.

* * *

><p>It was late August. It was the night before Mercedes was to move.<p>

I opened the fence door to the Jones' backyard. I picked up small rocks and looked at the back of the house. I knew Mercedes' room was on the second floor, but so was Deshawn's. _Shit. I did not think this through._ I had this idea to do a "Romeo and Juliet" type of romantic gesture, before Mercedes moved to California. I would throw small pebbles against the window. She would come to the window surprised and I would sing a song to her. However, standing there with my guitar hanging on my back, I was not one-hundred percent sure which room was hers. _Now or never._ I thought it was the one on the right, so I started to throw.

The light came on in the room, and I was ready to run if it wasn't Mercedes. Someone pulled the curtains to the side and opened the window. It was Mercedes.

"Sam!" She yelled enough for me to hear, but tried not to wake anyone else. "What are you doing? It is 10 o'clock at night!"

"Mercedes, you're leaving tomorrow. I figured this would be the last romantic gesture I could give you before you left. It's like Romeo and Juliet."

"That's sweet, Sam." Mercedes said. "Let's hope the ending is different, though."

"Why?" I asked seriously. "Don't they have like a fairy tale happy ending?"

"Umm…no, Sam…they both die." Mercedes said hesitantly. "Didn't you read the book for class?"

"No, I only got halfway though." I said shocked. "Why does everyone always want to have Romeo and Juliet romance? The ending is depressing."

"Because the relationship, while they had it, was magical. They died to be together. They wouldn't let anyone stand in the way of their love."

"Huh."

Mercedes laughed. "Really Sam? All you have to say is 'huh'?"

"Yeah, I have to rethink this being a 'Romeo and Juliet' gesture. Maybe this could be a 'Sam and Mercedes' gesture."

She smiled. "Really? What gesture did you have in mind?"

I swung my guitar to the front of me. "I wanted to sing you a song. The song reminded me of you and how amazing you are. It also reminded me how I'm a better person with you."

"You're going to give me a big ego, you know that?" She replied

"I don't think that it's possible, Diva." I said jokingly. "By the way, Baby Doll, you look really nice in those pajamas."

Even though it was hard to see her, I knew her. Mercedes was blushing.

"Boy, sing the song!" She said quickly.

I smiled. Then I strummed the guitar a few times, before starting,

_I'm A Superman Thanks To Lois Lane  
><em>_**Kissed Away My Problems When I Went Insane  
><strong>__Fished Me From The Bottom When I Lost My Name  
>Gave Me Something I Could Live For (Something I Could Live For)<br>And Everybody Wonders What's The Change  
>They Don't Recognize Me Cause I Got So Much To Say<br>__**And I Never Thought That Anyone Could Love Someone  
>So Much That They Give Up On Everything<strong>_

_I Will Be There To Take Care Of You_  
><em>I Will Be There When You Cry Babe<em>

_**I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Tell You That You're Beautiful Baby**_

During the song, I remembered junior prom night and how memorable it was. It was the first time I really saw Mercedes. I'd always remember that first dance.

_I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Run With  
><em>_**I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Dance With**__  
>I'm Your Lover When The Skies Turn Grey<br>Everyday Til Its Beautiful Baby_

_I'm A Butterfly When I'm In Your Hands  
>You Can Turn The Pavement Into White Sand<br>__**You Can Make A Moment A Memory In A Glance**__  
>And I Can't Believe Anyone Else<br>And Everybody's Talking  
>But You Always Keep Shouting<br>You Never Stop Cursing Yea Babe  
>And I Never Thought That Anyone Could Love Someone<br>So Much That They Give Up On Everything_

During this part, I remembered the first time she said I love you. Mercedes told everyone that she loved me. She didn't love me for popularity or for vindictive purposes. She loved me for me. Every day since then, I've been trying to show that I love her the same way.

_I Will Be There To Take Care Of You  
>I Will Be There When You Cry Babe<br>__**I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Tell You  
>That You're Beautiful Baby<br>**__  
>I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Run With<br>I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Dance With  
>I'm Your Lover When The Skies Turn Grey<br>Everyday Til Its Beautiful Baby_

I remembered a random date when we sat in the park. We made future plans and promises to each other. I hope we get to keep those promises.

**There's A Million People Underneath The Sun  
>That Can Find A Million More And Never Find The One<strong>  
>There's A Girl Who Did This And A Socialite<br>Was On Magazines And Was The Shy Type Baby  
>But I'm A Superman Thanks To Lois Lane<br>Fished Me From The Bottom When I Lost My Name  
>And I Never Thought Anyone Could Ever Mean So Much So Much<p>

_I Will Be There To Take Care Of You_  
><em>I Will Be There When You Cry Babe<em>  
><em>I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Tell You<em>  
><em>That You're Beautiful Baby<em>

I remembered the date of our one year anniversary. I remembered her amazing performance at Nationals. I remembered our date and how incredible it was that day and night.

_I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Run With  
><em>_**I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Dance With  
><strong>__I'm Your Lover When The Skies Turn Grey  
>Everyday Til Its Beautiful Baby<br>_

I looked up at Mercedes who had the biggest smile I had ever seen. "I love you, Sam."

"I love you too, Baby Doll."

It looked like Mercedes was crying, but I was too far away to tell. "Mercedes, are you crying? I didn't want to make you cry."

"Sam…" Her voice sounded a little broken up as she continued to talk. "I miss you already. I don't know if I'm ready to leave."

"Yes, you are." I said comfortingly. "The first day, you'll make friends, join clubs, and have the time of your life. You'll have so much fun that you'll forget all about me."

"I could never forget about you, Sam." Mercedes said sincerely

There was that warm feeling again. Mercedes needed to know I felt the same way. "I will never forget about you, either. We have Skype, everyday, remember?"

Mercedes nodded.

"I wish I could hug now." I told her. "You seem like you need it. Honestly, I need it too."

"Sam-"

Suddenly, a voice amplified over our conversation. It was Deshawn with the bullhorn, again. **"No, Mercedes needs to go to bed, because she has to leave tomorrow."**

"Leave us alone! This is not the time, Deshawn!" Mercedes yelled

"**Yes, it is. Come to the back door."** The back door opened and I saw Deshawn walk out.

I looked at him and sighed. "I just wanted to talk to Mercedes before she left.

"I know. I figured you both deserve that hug you talking about, but make it quick. Ten minutes. I'll be back." Deshawn walked back in as Mercedes walked outside.

Mercedes walked over to me. When she was in arm's reach, I grabbed her and brought her toward me. I hugged her tight. I wanted to remember the moment, so maybe December didn't seem too long away. Mercedes must have felt the same way since she hugged me back just as tight.

"Only until December, Sam, right?" Mercedes asked

I ran my fingers through her hair and breathed in deep trying to memorize her smell. "Only until December." I gave her a soft kiss that quickly became a deeper one. I didn't want it to ever stop, but it had too. I pulled away. Then I gently placed my forehead on hers and we looked at each other. We held each other for awhile, before Mercedes spoke.

"We're just delaying the inevitable goodbye." Mercedes said sadly.

"It's not goodbye. It's never goodbye. It's 'see ya later." I said

Mercedes chuckled softly and gave me one last quick kiss. "See ya later."

"See ya later." I said back.

We both looked over as Deshawn walked back out. "Come on, Mercedes. We have a long drive tomorrow. You and I have to split driving the car, while Mom and Dad drive the U-haul. You definitely need you rest. You need to drive through all of Nevada, because I can't. You know I have issues in that state."

"What? Do you have a warrant for your arrest or something?" I asked

"No…kind of…umm…unpaid speeding tickets…but that's beside the point!" Deshawn said. "Mercedes, you need your rest."

_Was it selfish to want ten more seconds?_ "He is right." I said reluctantly letting go of her. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Mercedes said as I started to walk away. I looked back and said, "Only until December."

"**K****eep walking, Romeo!**" Deshawn said into the bullhorn.

Mercedes cut her eye at him, and Deshawn shrugged.

"Hey! Did I not let him finish this time?" He said

I laughed as I opened the gate and walked out.

* * *

><p>"What happened next?" Heather asked<p>

"Well, I go to college and-" _**Ring Ring Ring **_I was interrupted by my ringing cell phone on the living table. I picked up the phone and looked at the caller id. I was surprised by the caller, because I hadn't talked to him awhile. I knew there was a lot currently going on in his life.

"Hello?" I said answering the phone

"Who is it Daddy?" Heather asked.

I whispered. "Wait a minute, Heather." I turned my attention back to the phone. "Hello?"

"Sam?" The caller asked.

"Yeah, it's me. How are you? It's been awhile. How is MJ doing?"

"Sam." The distraught sound of his voice worried me. He sounded tired. "I need your help."

"Sure. What do you need? Are you okay? What happened?" Heather seemed to detect the worry in my voice, by the way she started staring at me.

The caller started breathing deep and talking very quickly. "Sam, they tried to kill him this time. I don't know what to do. He needs to get away from here! He needs to get out of the state."

"Whoa, Matt! What happened?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey guys! Someone asked me about my thoughts on Glee so far. I actually really like the season so far, but I didn't really like the portrayal of Mercedes in the 'Asian F' episode. Her rant against Mr. Schue was warranted , but they seemed to make her the villian. Also, she hasn't said a word in the last two episodes. I didn't really like Quinn's portrayal either. She seems a little lost this season, but maybe that's the point. She is trying to find her place. I don't know. Anyway, apparently, I'm the last to know but Sam is coming back? I'm excited.**

**So what did you guys think about the chapter and the season so far?**


	20. Chapter 19: Hero Complex

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

Please forgive any grammatical errors. (I read some past chapters and thought I needed to add this.)

Author's Note: Thank-you guys for the episode 8 tips, your season thoughts, and reviews. Also, I was asked a couple of questions in the reviews. I was asked if MJ was mentioned before, who the caller was, and if Sam/Mercedes did the deed in the last chapter. MJ wasn't mentioned before and that is all I will say. The caller will be made clear in this chapter. Sam/Mercedes did do the deed in the last chapter. I will try to answer questions, only if the answers do not give away the plot. Enjoy :) !

* * *

><p>It was 3:40 am. I was at the airport waiting for an incoming red-eye flight from Miami. A lot had transpired since the phone call from Matt last night. I leaned back in the chair as the conversation replayed over in my head.<p>

"_Sam. I need your help."_

"_Sure. What do you need? Are you okay? What happened?" _

"_Sam, they tried to kill him this time. I don't know what to do. He needs to get away from here! He needs to get out of the state."_

"_Whoa, Matt! What happened?"_

"_I don't know the exact details…Mark wouldn't tell us anything. The police told me that a group of thugs broke into the apartment that I put him in. They had guns on them…something would have happened if the neighbors had not called the police. Sam, this isn't the first time that this has happened… I thought moving him to a different part of the city would stop them…I need a huge favor."_

"_What do need me to do?"_

"_Can Mark stay with you? It would only be temporary until I can find a better place. He needs to get out the state."_

"_I don't know about this, Matt."_

"_I know that I'm asking a lot from you, but my brother is a good kid that got mixed up in the wrong crowd. It would only be temporary. I will be in Cleveland soon afterwards to get him."_

"…"

"_Sam…please"_

"_Okay. When is he coming to Cleveland?"_

"_Tonight. I'm putting him on a red-eye flight tonight from Miami to Cleveland. His plane should arrive at 3:45 am."_

"_You have the flight booked already? How did you know that I would say yes?"_

"_Sam, you're one of my good friends. I knew you would have my back. Besides, doesn't that glee promise that you were talking about roll over to old members?"_

"_I guess so, Matt."_

* * *

><p>I looked over at the flight list and the flight from Miami had not landed yet. The last nine hours had been crazy. I took Heather over to spend the night at Mike and Tina's house. I talked to Mike about the phone conversation with Matt. Mike said he would be there to help me. Between Mike and me, we would watch over Mark.<p>

I looked around at the empty seats at the airport. There was only two other people here and they were employees. I internally groaned and buried my face in my hands. I wasn't in the best of moods right now. I was tired and had to be at work in three hours. I was about to take in a kid that I had not seen in years. Even when I had seen him, I didn't know him. I only knew him as Matt Rutherford's little brother.

I also hated airports. I had my reasons. I looked back up to the flight list and the Miami flight had arrived. I didn't know what he looked like now, so I grabbed my handmade sign the read _Mark Rutherford. _

People started to trickle through the doors. I waited for him to come through the doors. When he walked through the doors, I realized I didn't need the sign. Mark was a spitting image of Matt. He walked over to me.

"You're Sam Evans, right?" Mark asked

"Yeah. How was your flight?"

"It was alright."

I nodded and rubbed the back of my neck. "Okay, my car is this way."

Mark and I walked through the airport in silence. We reached the car and put his bags in the trunk. During the drive, it was mostly silent again. _What do you say to a stranger that is about to move in?_

"So…how old are you?" I asked as I stopped at a red light

"Seventeen." He said slightly irritated

"You look a lot like Matt." I said. "You must get that a lot."

"No, I usually get why can't you be more like your brother Matt, the football star." Mark said angrily. "He is a freaking kicker. It's the stupidest position on the team."

"Um…no. The kicker is usually the most constant scorer on a team. They can save a team in overtime. Are you okay? You seem upset."

"First, you don't know shit about me, so how can you tell if I'm upset or not?" Mark said angrily. "How do you think I feel? My family ships me away to live with some white guy in Cleveland. I'm pissed off."

I pulled the car over.

"What are you doing?" Mark asked

"We need to set some ground rules _right now_." I said sternly. Mark seemed slightly taken off guard by the change in my demeanor. "First, you will not curse in my house and especially not around my daughter. She will make you pay…literally. Second, you will keep the attitude in check. Third, you're curfew is 8:00 pm-"

"Are you kidding me? My dad let me stay out until 1:00 am-"

"I am not done and do not interrupt me again." I said. "Fourth, you live in the basement until I know you better. Fifth, you start school at Roosevelt HS in a couple hours. Finally, you will follow my rules until your brother comes to get you. If you can't handle those terms, you need to get out of my car now."

Mark sulked in his anger for a minute before answering, "The basement? What are you hiding me away like I'm some dirty secret? You're no different from my father."

"I'm not hiding you, but you are right about something. I don't know shit about you, so I can't have you around my daughter unsupervised. When I know you better, you can move upstairs. Besides, I would have loved to live in that basement when I was seventeen."

Mark looked out the window. "Can I at least start school tomorrow?"

"No. Today."

Mark sighed. "Ok. I'll agree to your terms, dictator."

I shook my head and started to drive again. _Again? This was the second time that I'd been called a dictator this weekend._ I turned the radio on to try to lighten the mood. Mercedes' song was playing. I groaned and turned it to another station. It was Mercedes' song, again. I turned the dial for a third time and it was another one of Mercedes' songs. _What the hell?_

I could see Mark staring at me out of the corner of my eye. "What?" I asked annoyed

Mark shrugged his shoulders. "I'm guessing you're not a big fan of Mercedes Jones' music?"

I turned the radio off. "I can't listen to those songs right now."

"Whatever. Where are we going?"

"We're going to my house. I need two hours of sleep. I have to be at work and you need to go to school."

"Work? Aren't you like a millionaire? Why do you work?" Mark asked

"I like my job and it's something to do." I said

* * *

><p>We drove the rest of the way in silence. When we arrived at my house, we put his bags in basement. I went upstairs and slept for about two hours before getting ready for the day. At about 6:30 am, I was at Mike's house with Mark.<p>

"Why are you making me go to school?" Mark asked as I rang the doorbell. "I can't even keep my eyes open."

"There isn't anything else for you to do." I said "Besides, those are my rules."

Mike opened the door, "Hey guys. Come in." We walked in the foyer and Mike turned to Mark.

"Wow. You've really grown up, Mark." Mike said "I haven't seen you in a couple years. Are you still writing stories?"

"I don't have time for that kid stuff anymore." Mark said

_Was this kid angry all the time? _"Mike, where is Heather?"

"She is in the living room dancing with Mina." Mike said. "Come see."

Mike, Mark, and I walked into the living room where Heather was dancing with Mina to the music. Well, Heather was dancing. Mina, who was only two, was hopping to the beat.

"Hi Sam! Hey Mark!" Tina said from the couch.

"Daddy!" Heather ran and hugged me.

"Hey sweetheart. You're still in your pajamas?"

"Daddy, you know I like to dance before I get ready for school!" Heather exclaimed. Heather looked over to Mark and smiled. "Hi, I'm Heather. What's your name?"

Mark gave a half-smile. "It's Mark."

"Mark is going to stay with us for a little while." I said

"Really? Are you going to be my brother?" Heather's face lit up. "I always wanted a brother!"

"No, sweetheart. Mark is a friend that is going to stay with us."

Heather nodded. "Okay, you'll be my pretend brother, Mark."

"Umm…" Mark said, but Tina called for Heather.

"Come on, Heather! I'll help you get ready." Tina said walking upstairs. Heather quickly followed.

Mike picked up Mina, who had walked over to him. Mike asked her in a silly voice. "Who's daddy's pretty little girl?"

Mina smiled. "Me! Daddy! "

I laughed before saying, "Thanks again, Mike, for watching Heather."

"Anytime, Sam. Heather is one happy and energetic kid." He said before patting me on the back. "You're doing a good job."

* * *

><p>After dropping Heather off at her school, I went and registered Mark at Roosevelt HS. When he found out I was the guidance counselor, his shocked facial expression was priceless.<p>

"You're the guidance counselor?" Mark asked. "You'll be here _all day?_"

"Yes, so be on your best behavior." I said. "I'll be in that office over there if you need me."

Mark rolled his eyes and picked up his book bag. "Whatever. I'm going to class." Mark walked away and faded into the hall of students.

The rest of the morning was pretty calm. After getting coffee out of the teachers' lounge, I sat in my office and wrote recommendation letters that some students needed. Around 12 pm, I got my first student walk-in. I heard a knock on my door and I said 'come in'. I looked up and was surprised by who I saw. It was Beth.

"Hey Beth. Come in and sit down." I said

Beth nodded and sat down in the chair across from my desk. "What can I do for you?"

"I did what you said." Beth said sadly

"Excuse me?"

"I talked to my mother about my feelings. I told her about how I was feeling distant from her and I asked her about my dad. After I asked her about him, she stared at me for a long time. She stared at me so long that it scared me. Then she told me to sit down." Beth paused and looked off to the side. "The whole thing keeps replaying in my head."

"What happened next?"

"Well, my mom sat next to me and grabbed my hands." Beth said looking at her hands. "She told me that she loved me and that would never change. I told her that she was scaring me." Beth tried to talk but the words were mumbled. "I-I can't say it. I still don't believe it."

"Take your time." I said

Beth nodded and breathed deep. "Then she said four words that changed my world. Beth, you are adopted." Beth said breathing deeper. "I sat there. This time, I stared at her before I started to cry. She leaned over to hug me, but I moved back. I couldn't look at her, so I ran. I locked myself in the bathroom and stayed there all day yesterday."

"Beth-"

"My mind has been racing ever since. I have so many questions. Who I am? How could my mom lie to me? How could my biological parents leave me? Didn't they love me? Where are they? What do they look like? Do I look like them?"

I couldn't help but think _you look like your mother. _I sighed. "Beth-"

"I'm sorry to dump of this on you, but I don't have anyone else to talk to."

"Its fine, Beth. You can always talk to me. At this point, you need a good support system. Also, you could talk to Derek and Emma. The three of you seemed like a tight group."

Beth stated crying after I said their names. "Derek left me for Emma after detention last Saturday! This has been the worst weekend of my life!"

"I am so sorry, Beth." I said passing her a box of tissues. "Discovering that you were adopted would be hard on anybody. It will get better."

"How…Will…It…Get…Better?" Beth said each word between sobs. "My world is crashing down around me and I can't stop it. I'm lost. Nothing makes sense and I don't know who I am." Beth grabbed another tissue and wiped the tears from her face.

"Beth, there is something I want you to remember." I said

"What is that?" Beth asked.

"Your mom is still your mom. You can talk to her about this, too."

Beth laughed slightly, but the laugh had a sad tone to it. "Shelby is _not_ my mother. Not anymore."

I continued, "She has always been there for you, right?"

Beth nodded.

"Has she raised you?"

She nodded again.

"Taken care of you when you were sick? Given you advice? Helped shape you into the rebellious, smart, self-proclaimed radical badass that you are?"

Beth laughed, but it was a happy laugh, this time. "She has."

"I'm sure that she will be there for you in the future." I paused to make sure I said this the right way, because _Beth did deserve to know who her biological parents were._ "Beth, your biological parents are your parents, too. However, Shelby has been the one who was always there. Shelby _is_ your mother."

"I have been ignoring her since I found out. I guess I haven't been fair to her." Beth admitted. "She even told me my birth parents' names. My dad's name is Noah Puckerman and my mom's name is Lucy Fabray." Beth chuckled. "What kind of name is Puckerman?"

I nodded. "Are you going to look for them?"

"I don't know yet…what if they don't want to see me?" Beth asked. "I mean they got rid of me. They probably never want to see me, again."

"They may have had a good reason, Beth. There is also the strong possibility that they didn't want to give you up. I think, when you're ready, you should look for them." I suggested. "They could miss you."

"Really?" Beth asked. "Do you really think it is possible that they would want to see me?"

"Yes. I definitely do." I said. "I think you should try looking up your dad first."

Beth narrowed her eyes at me. "Why should I look up my dad first-"

_**Ring.**_ The bell rang to signal that it was time to switch periods.

"Beth, the next period started, and you don't want to be late for class. We can talk later. I'm here all school day during the week."

"Okay. Thank-you, Mr. Evans, for listening." Suddenly, my door swung open and Mark walked in.

"I can't find my next class." Mark said. "Its African-American history in room 315, but the numbers on the doors stop at 307."

"Mark, you cannot barge into my office, when I'm talking to a student."

Mark looked at Beth. "Well, she has been crying, so I guess you didn't do that good of a job."

"Mark..." I said slightly frustrated.

"Its okay, Mr. Evans." Beth said wiping her eyes. "I know where that room is. I can show him."

"Thank-you, Beth." I said as Beth walked past Mark into the hall.

"No!" Mark whispered so only I could hear. "Don't send me with weepy girl!"

I pointed out the door. "Go to class, Mark!"

"Fine!" Mark walked down the hall and waited for Beth as she signed the counselor walk-in sheet. Then I saw Artie go past them and into my office.

"Sam, do you have extra paper?" Artie asked before looking at me. The smile from his face dropped after looking at me. "Are you okay, Sam?"

"No. Did you see the girl you went passed on your way in here?

Artie shook his head before looking by out the door at the girl. "I've never seen her before. She reminds me of Quinn…"

"Her name is Beth Corcoran."

"Oh my God!" Artie yelled as he quickly closed the door.

"Artie, _shush_!"

Artie turned toward me with a look of pure shock. "Don't shush me!" He took a deep breath before continuing, "What the hell? Are you telling me that girl is Puck and Quinn's daughter? How long has she gone to this school?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that's her. I looked at her file. She has been going for two years. I'm shocked that we didn't see her before."

"What are you going to do?" Artie asked. "How long have you known?"

"I figured it out Saturday."

"You've known two days!" Artie said shocked. "That's why you were jumpy when Puck was talking about her. Does Puck know?"

"No, but I'm going to tell him." I said. "I cannot keep this from him anymore. If the situation was reversed, I would want to know and I know Puck would tell me. Also, Beth found out recently that she was adopted, so this is a good time for Puck to reach out to her. "

"Wow. This is too much drama for me." Artie said on a sigh. "So, after all this time, she didn't know about anything Quinn and Puck?"

"No." I said. "Did you see the guy next to her?"

Artie nodded.

"Matt Rutherford's little brother."

Artie looked even more flabbergasted. "What? What is this? Glee: The Next Generation? What is Mark doing here?"

"He is living with me."

Artie threw his arms in the air in disbelief. "I can't keep up with you, Sam. When did all this happen?"

"In the last twelve hours. Matt called me and he was freaking out about his brother. He asked if his brother could stay with me and I said yes."

"Wow." Artie said. "Do I need to know anything else?"

"Mark is taking African-American studies." I said. "He is your new transfer student."

* * *

><p>It was afterschool and I picked Heather up.<p>

"We're driving home today, dad?" Heather asked getting into the backseat.

"Yes. Put your seatbelt on." Heather nodded and put her seatbelt on.

Mark sat in the front passenger seat, while I drove. "So, Heather, how was your day?" I asked

"It was okay. Katy, Melissa, and I started a glee club." Heather said rather nonchalantly

"That's great, sweetheart. Why aren't you more excited?"

"Well, I didn't get the lead on our first song." Heather said. "Aunt Rachel says to always pick a song that would suit your voice, so I picked the song, 'Can't Fight the Moonlight' by umm..."

"Leann Rimes?" I suggested

"Yeah! Leann Rimes is the singer." Heather said. "Anyway, the whole class tried out and I was the best one. I knew I was going to win. Then, my new friend, Melissa sang. Her voice was amazing. Everyone even stood up and clapped for her! Ms. Rossi said Melissa was best for the first song. She said I would get a chance next time."

"What's wrong with that? You can sing next time." I asked

"I wanted to sing the solo. I picked the song for myself!" Heather said. "I wanted to win the first solo, because Aunt Rachel says that solos give you time to shine."

"Aunt Rachel is competitive sometimes." I sighed. "Sweetheart, you can't win everything."

"I know, but I was always the best singer. Now, Melissa is the best singer. Katy was already a better dancer than me." Heather shrugged her shoulders. "What about me?"

I didn't like seeing Heather feel bad about herself. "Heather, you tried your best. Sometimes, other people are better at some things, but it doesn't make you any less amazing. You _are_ a great singer. Don't let anyone tell you different."

Heather smiled. "What about dancing?"

"Umm…you are a great singer." I said again

Heather laughed. "I got the hint, dad." She looked over to Mark, who was staring out the window. "How was your day, Mark?"

Mark shrugged his shoulders. "It was alright."

Heather started asking more questions. "What did you do? Did you meet new people? Do you like your classes?"

"Mark, Heather is persistent. She won't stop until you give her a good answer." I said

Mark sighed. "I really didn't do anything. I went to class all day. I did like most of my classes. Mr. Artie is teaching-"

"Uncle Artie is your teacher! That is so cool!" Heather exclaimed. "Don't you think that is cool, Mark?"

"I guess. Did you say Uncle Artie?" Mark asked Heather

"Extended family like Mike and Tina." I said. "I'll explain later."

Mark nodded and looked forward. He reached for the radio but Heather had more questions. "Did you make any friends? What is your favorite class?"

Mark dropped his hand from the dial and sighed. "I did make one friend. Her name is Beth-"

Heather jumped a little in her seat and sheepishly said, "Ooooo, Beth! Beth is a girl's name! Is she your girlfriend?"

Mark's eyes bulged out of his head. "No! We only met a couple of hours ago!"

"You're nervous!" Heather observed pointing at Mark. She started to teasingly sing. "_You think she's pretty! You think she's pretty! Beth and Mark sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First, comes love! Then, comes marriage-"_

Heather continued singing as I stopped at a red light. "Mark, she is kidding." I looked over at him and chuckled at his expression. "Are you blushing?"

"Yo! Man, I don't blush!" Mark said embarrassed before looking out the window again. "Can you make her stop? Please?"

"Heather, I think you embarrassed him enough." Heather chuckled as I drove off at the green light. Several minutes had passed before Mark spoke again,

"We do have Math and English together." Mark admitted lowly. "She is kinda cool."

I pulled into the driveway and sighed. _This could get complicated. I need to talk to Puck right away._

* * *

><p>We all walked in the house and Heather ran to get her notebook. I sat on the couch and Mark sat in the adjacent chair. Mark seemed uncomfortable as he drummed fingers on his legs.<p>

"Maybe we should start over." I suggested.

Mark looked taken off guard. "What do you mean?"

"Well, this morning wasn't the best start. I was tired and you seemed…" I tried to think of the rights words. "…to be trying to adjust to abrupt change. I understand. Moving to another state isn't easy, especially moving overnight like you did. I guess I'm trying to say that this arrangement will take some getting used to. I'm still trying to get used to this. I didn't exactly expect to take in a teenager twenty-four hours ago and I think it would best if we started on a good note."

Mark sighed before giving a small smile. "I would like that. I would like to start over." Mark rubbed his hand against his leg before extending it. "Hi, my name is Mark Rutherford."

I was a little taken back by the gesture. I laughed as I shook his hand. "I didn't mean it so literally, but hi my name is Sam Evans."

"Oh." Mark said before retracting his hand. Then, we heard Heather yell from her room, "Yes! Guess what, dad! I found my green glitter pen!"

"So…is she always this happy?" Mark asked

"Yeah. Heather is very happy. She is rainbows and butterflies all the time." I said. "It's contagious. Maybe some will rub off on you…"

"What does that mean?" Mark asked

"You seem to always be in a bad mood." I said

"Well, the mood is warranted. I have a lot to be angry over." Matt admitted

"Are you going to tell Matt what happened yesterday?" I asked

"I could but Matt wouldn't understand where I was coming from. We may be brothers but we come from two very different worlds." Mark admitted. "I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier. Thank-you for everything that you are doing for me, but I'm not ready to talk about this."

"That's fine. Whenever you are ready."

Mark nodded. Heather came back into the living room and sat on the couch. "Okay, dad! I'm ready. Mark, do you want to hear the story?"

"What is the story about?" Mark asked

"My mom!" Heather exclaimed. "I'm trying to figure out who my mom is."

"You don't know who your mom is?" Mark asked

Heather shook her head. "I'm going to find out!"

"You can listen if you want, Mark." I offered.

"I don't want to intrude."

"You're not intruding." I said. "But if anything in the story sounds familiar to you, don't tell Heather."

Heather looked suspiciously between us, before settling on Mark. "What do you know?"

"I don't know anything. Honestly." Mark said. "I don't know what Mr. Evans-"

"You can call me Sam." I said

"Oh. Okay, I don't know what Sam thinks I know, but I've never heard the story."

"Trust me, you do know some parts and people in this story, Mark." Sam said. "When you heard them, pretend you don't."

Matt nodded.

I started the story, "Ok, so college…"

* * *

><p>College was amazing. The campus was huge and there so many things to do. I had a full athletic scholarship and Mike was my roommate. I even made a really good friend sometime during the first month of football practice.<p>

After practice, I walked up to my new locker and opened it. I started putting my equipment in. These lockers were definitely better than the ones at McKinley. I started taping pictures on the inside of my locker door when one of my new teammates walked up to the adjacent locker. He started to make small talk.

"You looked really good out there, man." He told me opening his locker. "I wouldn't be surprised if they made you first string."

"Thanks. I really want the first string spot." I admitted. "I'm tired of always being second string."

"You were second string in high school?" The guy asked putting his equipment in his locker.

"Yeah. I'm trying to change that in college." I said taping a picture of my grandparents. "What about you? Aren't you the kicker?"

"Yeah. First string."

"You're really good." I said taping up a picture of Mercedes and me.

"Thanks. I guess I owe it to my coach at my second high school. He said I really belonged on special teams and the rest was history. My old high school had me on offense-" He paused. I turned around and saw he was staring at my locker photos. "How do you know, Mercedes Jones?"

I was taken aback by the question. "How do you know her? She is my girlfriend."

"Did you go to McKinley High School?" He asked quickly. "Do you know the glee club? Do you know Finn, Mike, Puck, and the football guys? Do you know, Santana?"

_How did this random kid know so much?_ "Yeah, I know all of them. We're all really good friends. How do you know them?"

"I went there my sophomore year. My name is Matt. Matt Rutherford." He said extending his hand.

His name sounded very familiar. "I've heard your name before. My name is Sam Evans." I said shaking his hand.

"Wow. So you're the guy who replaced me. Mike and I still talk every week. He has told me all about you." Matt said letting go of my hand. "He said you're a really good guy."

"Thanks. But-" I was cut off by a small explosion. We both turned around to see a guy with paint all over his face. His locker was open, so I guess someone must have rigged his locker as a prank.

"Welcome back, Loser!" We heard a couple of other players yell. One player stepped forward and pushed him in his back. "Don't hold us back again, Adam."

"Hey! What are you doing?" I yelled

"Yeah, man. That isn't cool." Matt added

"None of your business, freshmen!" The bully yelled. _There always seems to be some version of a Karofsky everywhere._ "We're welcoming Adam back for another year."

"Are you okay, man?" Matt asked Adam.

Adam nodded before looking back at the bully. Adam stammered. "H-H-How do you get my locker combination?"

"I have my ways." He said high-fiving another player. "Don't worry. I will only have a surprise for you every other practice."

Adam yelled, "Leave me alone! I'm tired of this! I took this crap all last year, but it isn't happening this year!"

The bully stepped closely to Adam, "What are you going to do to stop me, princess?"

I couldn't take anymore of this. "Leave him alone!"

The bully laughed. "Who are you? His boyfriend?" He said walking toward me. "What are you going to do?" He shoved me and I shoved him back. Then the coach walked and the bully backed away.

"What is going on?" Coach Sullivan yelled walking in the locker room. "I cannot believe that there is fighting already! It's only the third goddang practice!" He paused when he saw Adam. "Why is there paint all over Adam?"

"Ask him." Matt said pointing to the bully.

The bully stared angrily at Matt. "Snitch."

"I got your snitch right here." Matt said stepping forward. "Come on! I'm right here."

Reynold looked over at the coach and the other players who were all staring at him.

"You're not such a big man now, are you?" Matt asked

The bully flared his nose and walked toward Matt, who never backed down. Coach Sullivan stopped the situation before it escalated.

"Reynold!" Coach Sullivan yelled. "Get out of here now!"

Reynold stared at Matt and me, before saying, "This isn't over, freshmen."

"Clean yourself up, Adam." Coach Sullivan said walking out behind Reynold.

"Are you okay, Adam?" I said

He nodded. "Yeah. Thank-you both. No one has ever stood up for me before." He said closing his locker. "Where am I going to put my things?" He said almost like he was thinking out loud. "Reynold has my combination."

"We can share a locker." I offered. "It's definitely big enough."

"Really? Thank-you! I would hug you but I have paint all over me." Adam said picking up a towel.

"Thanks is good enough." I said

"Well…um…thanks." He said walking away.

"I don't think you should share your locker, Sam." Matt said after Adam walked away.

"Why not?" I asked.

"First, I don't think you want to share your locker with a guy that half the team seems to despise." Matt said. "Second, it's never a good idea to share football lockers. If anything looks weird and it is in your locker, you could be responsible."

"I'm not going to stand by and let them harass him." Sam said. "It's wrong. Besides, I learned in high school that popularity isn't everything."

Matt laughed. "Mike was right. You always have to do the right and noble thing. I respect that."

* * *

><p>It was later that day.<p>

I was walking to class, when I saw a blonde girl running and crying. I couldn't help but notice that she looked eerily similar to Brittany. Then I heard loud cursing in Spanish. I had been on the receiving end of that cursing enough times to know that it was Santana.

I walked around the corner to see Santana arguing with two girls.

"Whatever! Come to Lima Heights Adjacent with this mess." Santana warned. "A place where we cut first and ask questions later!"

I noticed the girls had religious material in their hands. I presumed the crying girl had probably been with Santana. "Santana, is everything okay?"

Santana looked surprised to see me. "Go away, Sam! I can handle this."

"Tell your friend that her relationship with that girl was wrong." The girl with the materials said to me. "She is going to hell."

"Going to hell?" Santana yelled

I saw the homicidal look on Santana's face. I needed to get Santana away before she tried to fight them. "Nothing is wrong with Santana's relationship." I said walking over and grabbing Santana's hand. "She doesn't have to listen to your lectures and stop forcing your opinions on other people." I pulled Santana away and we walked around the corner. When the girls were out of sight, I started to talk.

"People like that cannot take everything so literal-"

Santana quickly pulled her hand away. "How dare you?" She asked. "I was handling the situation, Sam! I didn't need you to save me."

"I was only trying to help, Santana." I said walking away.

"Wait, Sam!" Santana yelled. "I'm sorry. I'm upset...can we talk?"

I nodded. "Come on, let's get something to eat."

* * *

><p>After we got our food, we stay in the cafeteria where Santana proceeded to tell me about how college was going so far for her. To say it was going bad was an understatement.<p>

"I hate it here, Sam!" Santana confessed. "I thought things would change after high school, but it didn't. I still have to deal with small minded people. It's this damn state!"

"Was the girl I saw running and crying with you?" I asked

Santana nodded. "We had been dating two days. I cannot believe she left as soon as someone questioned us. I never want to see her again."

I shook her head. "Don't be so hard on her. It's probably not an easy thing to go through. Some people cannot be as strong as you."

Santana gave a weak smile. "Thanks, Sam." She sighed. "It's hard being the baddest bitch in the world sometimes."

I laughed. "Well, _self-proclaimed _baddest bitch."

Santana shook her head. "I am the baddest bitch. If there were an election for the title, I would win."

"Whatever, Santana." I said taking a sip of my water. "You know, when you sang to Brittany 'Someone Like You', I didn't think you meant it so literally. The girl looked like a Brittany clone." I said reaching for one of Santana's fries.

"I like what I like." Santana retorted before smacking my hand. "Don't touch my food."

"I can't have a fry?"

"No. Besides, these are carbs. Wouldn't they mess up your body?" Santana said mockingly

I quickly grab a fry and stuck out my tongue. "My ads can still cut glass."

Santana rolled her eyes and changed the subject. "Have you picked a major?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. I'm definitely leaning toward psychology though."

Santana laughed. "Sadly, I could totally see you as someone's shrink."

I rolled my eyes. "What about you?"

"I picked journalism." Santana said smiling. "I found this new love for writing over the summer. I needed a distraction. Everything reminded me of Brittany." Santana admitted. "Also, writing could be my ticket out of here."

I looked at her confused. "How?"

"I went to the advising center and there is this new internship at Time magazine." Santana said. "You send an application and a news story. They only pick two students. If they pick you, they give you two options. You can complete a summer internship or transfer to NYU and be a year round intern. They pay for all of the tuition and board."

"Wow. That's great, Santana. Are you going for it?" I asked

"Duh, Trouty Mouth. All I need is great grades, recommendation letters, and a story." She paused. "Sam, I need to get out of here. I want to live in New York." Santana said. "It was the one place Brittany and I held hands in public and people did not ridicule us."

I nodded. "I know the feeling. Mercedes and I first started dating in New York."

"How are things going with you and Aretha?"

"Great." I said finishing my lunch. "I'm actually going to Skype her in an hour."

Santana waved her hand for me to go. "Go!"

"It's fine. Mercedes probably won't be ready to Skype until 1 pm. She has a class now." I said. "I can wait for you."

"You know her schedule?"

I started to blush a little. "Yeah, she told me."

Santana shook her head. "You don't have to wait for me. I'm going back to my dorm, anyway."

"What hall did they place you in?" I asked

"Lincoln House on the 2nd floor." Santana replied.

I looked at her surprised. "Really? Mike and I were placed there on the 3rd floor."

Santana rolled her eyes. "Great. I can't escape glee club even if I tried."

* * *

><p>After lunch, Santana and I walked to Lincoln House. She went to the common room while I went to my dorm. When I got back, Mike wasn't there. He probably went to see Tina, who was a student here too.<p>

I turned on my computer and tried to Skype Mercedes. After about three minutes, she appeared on my screen.

"Hi Sam!" Mercedes said elated. There was a loud of noise in the background and kids were cheering.

"Wow. Having fun?" I asked

"Yes! Everyone is cheering, because the football team won a game." Mercedes said. "It is amazing here! I love all of classes and they even have a glee club here. " Then I heard a girl yell, "Mercedes, come on!"

Mercedes turned away from the computer screen and said, "I'll meet you later! I'm talking to my boyfriend!"

The girl yelled back, "Again! Come and have fun with us!"

"Bye!" Mercedes said to the girl. "How are things at Ohio State, Sam?"

"You can go with your friends, Mercedes. I don't want you to miss out."

"I want to know how your day is going. Not celebrate a football win." Mercedes got up and closed her door. After she closed it, the background noise decreased.

"My day is good. It was actually really eventful."

"Really? What happened?" Mercedes asked sitting down.

"Do you know a guy named, Matt Rutherford?" I asked

"Yeah! I remember Matt. He went to McKinley during everyone's sophomore year." Mercedes said remembering. "Actually, you took his open spot in glee club."

"Well, he is on the Ohio State football team, too."

Mercedes smiled. "Small world. Well, go buckeyes!"

I heard someone yell in Mercedes' background, "Who said go buckeyes?"

"They heard me from the hall!" Mercedes said shocked, before laughing. "Sam, you are going to get me killed."

"Then I will come to your college to avenge your death." I joked

"Like Elektra?" Mercedes asked

"Yeah, but I don't think I could pull off her red bustier that she wore." I joked

Mercedes laughed. "Blondie, you are a mess." Then she gave me a coy smile. "You don't need it. You look good shirtless."

I grinned. "And you definitely could pull that bustier off."

Mercedes gave another bashful smile. "Okay, do you really want to start this conversation when we're several states away from each other?"

"Me?" I asked shocked. "You started it!"

Mercedes nodded. "I guess. Let's talk about something else. How was the rest of your day?"

I nodded. "Matt and I almost got into a fight standing up for this kid, Adam."

"You were fighting, Sam?" Mercedes said worried

"No, almost. Then later I took Santana away from these girls. They were lecturing her about her sexuality."

"Wow. That was bold of them to confront Santana." Mercedes said. "Sam, you're hero complex was in overdrive today."

"My hero complex?" I asked

"Well, I always thought you had a hero complex." Mercedes admitted. "You always have to save people. You saved Santana and Adam today. You saved Kurt from Karofsky. You tried to save that boy from serving serious jail time. You saved Brittany and Santana from Azimio's slushie ambush. You saved me at prom-"

"I didn't save you at prom." I said cutting in. "I finally saw you."

Mercedes smiled. "Well, you seem to have to always help people. It's something I love about you."

I smiled. "Thanks, Mercedes." I paused and confessed something. "It is sort of ironic that couldn't save myself when I needed to. Finn had to save me."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about that night in Lima Heights Adjacent. When Finn tried to grab that gun, I froze." I said sadly. "I always felt guilty about that. If I had just gotten Puck instead of freezing, maybe Finn wouldn't have gotten shot."

Mercedes shook her head. "If you hadn't called the police, Finn could have been much worse. He was in shock and may not have thought to call the police."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I still feel like I owe Finn my life."

"In that case, I think I owe Finn, too." Mercedes said

"What do you mean?" I asked confused

"You didn't get shot. I still have you." Mercedes said.

I moved closer to the laptop screen. "I wish I could kiss you right now."

"I feel the same way. Is it December yet?"


	21. Chapter 20: Can't Return the Feelings

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review!

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

Please forgive any grammatical errors.

Author's Note: I am so sorry that this update is so late. I was studying for finals and finishing projects, but I'm on break so the updates should be coming a lot faster. The next update will definitely come a LOT sooner than this one did. Also, the songs I used in the last two chapters are listed at the bottom. I always forget to name them. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.

* * *

><p>It was October of my freshman year.<p>

I was walking back to my dorm room. It was mid-term week and I had already had two exams that morning. I wanted to get a quick nap in before football practice. I fished my keys out of my pocket before I reached my room. I put the key in lock.

For a brief moment, I paused. I heard another person in the room, which was unusual. Mike and I didn't really have company in our dorm room. I shook my head and thought _Mike must have study group or something in there._ I turned the knob and walked in.

I was so wrong.

I caught Mike and Tina in a rather compromising position. My eyes bulged out of my head before I quickly covered them with my hand. I heard Tina yelled 'Sam' when she saw me in the doorway.

In one swift motion, I quickly closed the door and locked it. _Why did I lock the door? How can I unsee what I just saw?_

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard Mike say, "Wait! Why did you just say Sam's name?"

"No, Mike! Sam was just at the door!" Tina explained

"I didn't see anything!" I yelled through quickly the door. It was a lie. They were both shirtless and I don't even want to remember what they was doing. "Um…I'm going now. I'll see you guys later." I started to walk away when I heard Mike yell for me to stay.

I stopped in the middle of the hallway and stayed there until Tina walked out. She looked down adjusting her skirt as she walked toward me.

"Tina, I'm so sorry-"

Tina put her hand up to my face to signal for me to stop talking. Her face was still etched with the embarrassment of what just happened. "Don't talk. Listen, Sam. This didn't happen. You didn't see anything and we never talk about this again. Agreed?"

I nodded in response. Tina also nodded before walking down the hall and around the corner to the elevators.

I walked down the hall and back into the dorm room where Mike was sitting on his bed. He looked at me as I threw my book bag on the foot of my bed.

"Look, Mike, I'm sorry. I should have knocked and-"

Mike shook his head, "Don't apologize, Sam. This is your room, too." Mike rubbed the back of his neck. "I thought you had class now."

"I do." I said. "The class was cancelled. I wanted to get a nap before football practice."

Mike nodded before asking bluntly, "How much did you see?"

"I didn't see anything." I said quickly. In this case, the truth didn't help anyone.

Mike studied me for a moment, before laughing lightly. "You're a horrible liar, Sam."

I sighed and sat on my bed. I turned to face Mike before saying, "Tina said that we should act like this never happened. I agree with her. I hate awkward."

"I agree, too." Mike said. "I think we need some rules so that this doesn't happen again. Tina was mortified and I know Mercedes…" Mike stopped when he saw the dejected expression on my face.

"Mercedes is in California." I said sadly reminding him. "So, this conversation does not really apply to me."

"Yeah…" Mike said slowly.

"It's not that big of a deal, Mike." I said kicking off my shoes. "Just put a sock on the doorknob next time."

"Seriously, Sam?" Mike said in a disbelieving tone. "A sock on the doorknob? I might as well announce my business to the whole floor."

I laughed before laying down backside on my bed. I clasped my hands behind my head. "Do you have any better ideas?"

Mike mumbled a 'no' as he pulled out his laptop from underneath his bed.

I looked at the ceiling for a few minutes trying to fall asleep, but to no avail. So, I turned my attention to the pictures I had put up on the wall adjacent to my bed. My eyes bounced between all the pictures. I looked at a picture of Stacy and Stevie to a picture of the McKinley football team then to a picture of Mercedes and me.

_I missed her._

"You're lucky, Mike. You have your girlfriend here."

Mike looked at me before sighing. "If anybody could pull off a long distance relationship, it would be you and Mercedes."

I sat up but never stopped staring at the picture.

"I miss her, Mike." I admitted. "I miss being around, I miss holding her…I miss everything." I went on to vent to Mike about my frustrations of being in a long distance relationship. He patiently listened and would nod every once in a while.

I didn't tell him often enough, but I was lucky to have a friend like Mike. I have a lot of good friends, but Mike was one of the few people that I could talk to without judgment. For years to come, he would become a constant confident and ally during a tough period in my life. Mike was a true friend.

After talking listening to what I had to say, Mike stated the obvious.

"You knew it would be hard."

I laughed lightly. "Of course, I _knew_ it would hard, but not this hard."

Mike looked at his side wall, seemingly looking for the right words to say. "Sam, do you think Mercedes is worth all this waiting?"

"Hell yeah. No question."

"Well…there is your answer." Mike said on a shrug. "Thanksgiving is only a month away."

"Thanksgiving?"

"Yeah. Thanksgiving…" Mike said eyeing me. "You know, the holiday when you give thanks and eat yourself into a coma."

"I forgot about Thanksgiving!" I said excited. "I'll see Mercedes at Thanksgiving! Mike, you're a genius!"

Mike chuckled at my excitement. "I know I am. Who in the world forgets about Thanksgiving?" Mike laughed before mumbling, "_Maybe a manorexic."_

"I heard that." I said throwing a pillow at his head. "I am not anorexic. I'm body conscious."

"Is that what you're calling it?"

"Whatever." I said on a chuckle. "You can't bring me down. I'm going to see my girl in a month."

Mike laughed. "Man, Mercedes has you whipped."

"I'm whipped?" I asked shocked. "You jump when you hear Tina's voice."

"I am a man." Mike said sternly. "I do not jump for a girl. The only one whipped is you, Sam."

"I'm the whipped one?" I asked again. _It was time to have some fun._ "Mike, can I borrow your IPod?"

Mike nodded and tossed his IPod touch to me. I knew Mike had a special ringtone for Tina. Every time Tina called Mike's phone, "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars played on his phone.

I scrolled down to B and played the song. I tried to hold my laughter as Mike lounged for his phone on his desk. When Mike realized the song wasn't coming from his phone, he looked over at me unamused.

"Wipe that smug grin off your face."

I laughed so hard it hurt.

* * *

><p>About two hours later, I was in the dorm elevator on my way to practice. The elevator stopped on the 2nd floor. The elevator doors opened and Santana walked on the elevator.<p>

"What's up, Guppy Lips?" Santana said before standing next to me.

"Nothing much. I'm on my way to practice." I said nonchalantly. "Hey, do you have plans this Saturday?"

"Why? Why do you want to know?" Santana asked rather quickly. She seemed a little nervous.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to the movies. The movie theater on campus is showing a free screening of the Hangover II."

"I can't. I have a date?" Santana said as if it was more of a question than a statement.

"Well, do you or don't you have a date?" I asked. "Do you know what you're doing?"

"It's a date. It is definitely a date." Santana said definitively

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" I asked

"Shut up, Trouty Mouth." Santana snapped. "I have a date, so you'll have to find someone else to bother."

"It's fine. I can probably find someone else. I don't think Puck is doing anything this weekend-" My phone let out a single ring to signal that I had a text message. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and read the text. The sender surprised me.

_**Nebraska, are you free this Saturday afternoon? –Deshawn**_

"What is it?" Santana asked

"I have plans now." I said before replying 'yes' to Deshawn's text.

The elevator door opened on the first floor and we both walked out. We continued to walk until we were both outside.

"So, Santana, do you have a date with another Brittany clone?" I said jokingly

"Not exactly." Santana said. "I have to go." Santana sped ahead and walked around the corner of the block. _Why was Santana acting so weird?_

* * *

><p>"Dad, can we take a break?" Heather asked. "I have to go to the little girls' room."<p>

I nodded and Heather walked away to the bathroom. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Mark was staring at me.

"Why are you staring at me?" I asked

"You dated Mercedes Jones, the singer, didn't you?" Mark asked. "That's why you were so bothered by her songs this morning."

"Yes, but don't tell Heather." I whispered. "She still hasn't figured out that my Mercedes and the singer Mercedes are the same."

Mark raised one eyebrow. "My Mercedes?"

"I didn't mean my Mercedes." I said quickly

"It sounds like someone is still whipped." Mark said smugly

"The conversation ends now." I said

"Can I ask one more question?" Mark asked.

"You have almost as many questions as Heather." I said "What is it?"

"What was going on with you and Santana?" Mark asked

"We were friends." I said

"Whatever. Males and females cannot be friends." Mark said undoubtedly.

"Yes, they can."

Mark rubbed the back of his neck before saying, "The thing is that I don't get the friendship. I know Santana. She is cool. You're a square."

"Did you call me a square?"

"Yes. I call it like I see it."

"I-" I was caught off by Heather running back in the room and sitting on the couch. She picked her notebook up.

"You may continue, dad."

Mark laughed. "This isn't over."

"Yes, it is. Anyway, at football practice…."

* * *

><p>I was taking a couple of reps so the first string quarterback could have a break. I was doing a pretty good job. I was mostly passing the ball off to the running back. I also threw some short passes to Adam, who was one of the wide receivers. But I really wanted to show off. I wanted the first string spot and the only way to get it was to impress Coach Sullivan.<p>

Coach Sullivan's favorite word was 'explosive'. Every time, a player did a great play, he would usually say it was 'explosive'. Well, I had a few 'explosive' plays up my sleeve.

I jogged over to Adam during a break. "Adam, can you do me a favor?"

Adam nodded. "Sure, anything."

"On the next play, go long."

Adam looked at me surprisingly. "What are you going to do?"

"You'll see. The ball is coming toward you." Adam nodded and we both went back to our positions.

After the ball was hiked to me, I jogged backward about ten yards. Adam was running speedily toward the end zone. _Now or never_. I used the 'special spiral' move that Mr. Jones had showed me. I threw the ball and it soared high above everyone. The ball went about 70 yards. Adam caught it and ran in the end zone for the touchdown.

I looked over to the sideline to a various amount of reactions. Many players had stunned faces. I heard Matt yell, "Do that, Sam!" The first string quarterback threw his water to ground, while Coach Sullivan took two steps forward.

"Goddang, Evans!" Coach Sullivan said excitedly. "Wooo-weee! That was explosive! That sucker must have gotten about 70 yards." He stepped closer and whispered. "Keep it up and you could be 1st string." Coach Sullivan walked back to the side.

I didn't get to celebrate long before I heard loud laughing. It was Reynold. "That wasn't explosive. I'll show you a good play."

_What did that mean? _Reynold had been gunning for Matt and me ever since the locker incident. He threw us snide comments and menacing glares every chance he got. Something was bound to happen.

I got another snap and looked around to throw the ball to someone. All of the receivers were covered. I was going to run but Reynold had knocked me on the ground. I was sacked.

I was hit hard. Matt ran over and offered me a hand. "Sam! You really got hit. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I grabbed his hand and he helped lift me off the ground.

"Are you okay, Evans?" Coach Sullivan yelled

"I'm fine. The hit wasn't that bad at all." I yelled to the sideline. I wasn't fine. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of my lungs, but I wouldn't give Reynold the satisfaction.

"No touching the quarterback!" Coach Sullivan yelled at Reynold. "Go run five laps."

Reynold smirked. "Gladly." Reynold started to jog to the sideline but he stopped next to Matt and me first. "Get used to being knocked on your ass, Evans." He said arrogantly before jogging away.

I started to go after him to give a piece of my mind, but Matt stopped me. "It's not worth it, Sam."

We both walked back to the sideline and sat down. Adam walked over and sat next to us. "Are you okay, Sam?"

"I'm fine. I wish everyone can stop asking me that. I'm not fragile. I can take a damn hit."

"Oooooook…" Adam said. "Someone is sensitive." Adam got up and walked toward the Gatorade dispenser.

"I got sacked! It isn't that a big deal! Right, Matt?" I asked Matt. He didn't respond. I looked over to Matt and he was watching Adam. "Um, Matt?"

"Huh?" Matt said turning his attention back to me. "What is it?"

I rolled my eyes. "Nothing. What were you staring at?"

"I was looking at Adam. Have you noticed that Adam has gotten bigger?" Matt asked. I gave him a '_what are you talking about_ 'look. Matt explained, "I mean that he has gotten really muscular. I have never seen anyone gain so much muscle so fast. I'm going to ask him what his workout routine is."

I looked over to Adam. I had noticed that Adam had gotten a lot more muscular over the last month, but I didn't really think anything of it. _Maybe it was a growth spurt?_

"Anyway, Sam." Matt said changing the subject. "Your boy may have a girlfriend."

"Really? A girl actually came near you?" I asked jokingly. "Is she blind?"

"Hahaha, Sam. I will have you know that the girls are lining up to date me."

"The girls in your head don't count."

"Shut up, Sam."

"Ok, seriously, who is this girl?" I asked

Matt looked at me strangely before continuing. "Um…well, she is in my history lecture. I actually knew her before. We reconnected. She is beautiful and amazing. I really like her."

* * *

><p>I went to the library after showering. After about two hours in the library, I went back to my dorm to find a sock on the doorknob. I internally groaned. It was 10pm and I was tired. I looked at the doorknob and noticed that a note and envelope were taped to the door. The note said:<p>

_Dear Sam,_

_We got 'Quinn Letters'._

_Here is yours._

_-Mike_

I grabbed the letter. I probably wasn't getting back into my dorm tonight. I went to the Wilson house down the street to see if Matt would let me crash in his dorm room.

I walked up to Matt's room and knocked. Matt answered quickly, but only opened the door slightly, "Hey, man. What can I do for you?"

"I need to sleep." I said bluntly. "Can I come in?"

Matt seemed unsure. "Ummm…yeah, sure. Come in."

I walked in the room and sat down at the desk chair. "Can I sleep here?" I asked. Then I noticed something peculiar about Matt's room. It was quiet. Matt's room was never quiet. Matt had three very loud and opinionated roommates, whom were nowhere in sight. "How did you get the suite to yourself?"

"Ummm…Sam, normally I would let you sleep here, but I am kind of busy." Matt whispered tilting his head to his room.

I looked over to his room and saw a shadow in his room. I figured that Matt had a girl over. "Oh. I get the hint." I said getting up from the chair.

"Sorry, Sam, but it took a lot of work and bribing to get my roommates to leave for the night. What is wrong with your room?"

I sighed. "Mike has Tina in there. I got exiled. Well, actually, I guess I got sexiled." I said on a chuckle

"Sorry, Sam-"

"It's fine. I'll go-"

"Matt, do you have an extra blanket?" a girl said coming out of Matt's room. Her voice was familiar.

"I'm out." I said opening the door.

"Matt!" Santana said peeking out of the door. Santana saw me and completely walked out the room. I don't know who was more surprised, Santana or me. "Sam? What are you doing here?"

"Me? What are you doing here?" I looked at Matt and back at Santana. "You two? Matt, this is the girl you were talking about?"

"Yeah, I thought you knew by now." Matt said before looking at Santana. "Santana, I have been asking you all day to tell him."

"I didn't have a chance. Why didn't you tell him?" Santana said quickly.

"I thought you did. I thought it would be better if you told." Matt said. "That explains why Sam didn't know what girl I was talking about." Matt sighed.

"How are you two together?" I asked confused

Matt looked at me strange. "Are you not okay with this?"

I looked at him shocked. "Me? Are _**you**_ okay with this?"_ Did Matt not know that Santana is a lesbian?_

"What does that mean?" Matt asked. I looked over to Santana who had a worried expression. It was then that I realized she hadn't told him. The worry in her eyes almost seemed like she begging me to keep quiet.

"Nothing, Matt." I heard Santana give a deep sigh. "I am just shocked and room less."

"Sam." Santana said taking something out her jean's pocket. It was keys. Santana tossed them to me and I caught them. "You can have my room. I don't have any roommates."

"Are you sure?" I asked

"Yeah. You can sleep there. Help yourself to anything."

I mumbled a 'thanks' and left the room. I walked back to Lincoln House and took the elevator to the 2nd floor. I walked up to Santana's room. I opened the door and saw a bed.

I was way too happy to see a bed. I don't if it was happiness or delusion from my exhaustion but I may have …talked to it.

Closing the door, I walked over to the bed.

"Hello beautiful. I have been dreaming about you all day. Would you might if I lay on you? Of course you don't." I said flopping face first on the bed.

I looked to the wall adjacent to the bed. Santana's wall was similar to mine except there was nothing on it. I sat up and looked around her room. There was something strange about her room. It was bare. There wasn't anything personal about it. There were no pictures, posters, or decorations. The room was as blank as the room looked when everyone moved in on Moving Day. I pushed the observations out of my mind and quickly laid back down. I closed my eyes trying to go to sleep.

My phone let out a single ring not even ten seconds later and I fished my phone out of my jean pocket. I smiled at the text I got from Mercedes.

"_Wanna Skype? I'm still up."_

I texted back a 'sure', before I realized my laptop was still in my room. I sighed sadly. We hadn't talked in a couple days and I really wanted to see her. I was about to text her 'I can't', when I saw Santana's laptop. _Santana did say help yourself to anything._

I grabbed Santana's laptop from her desk and sat back on the bed. I opened it and the preliminary screen popped up right away. It was password-protected. _What could Santana's password be? Paula Abdul? Heights Adjacent? Glee? Cheerio?_

Then it hit me. I typed in BRITTANY and it let me on the computer. My friend was still sprung. I logged on to my Skype account and tried to contact Mercedes. She popped up on the screen in less than one minute.

"What's up, Blondie?" Mercedes asked affectionately

"Midterms, midterms, and more midterms." I replied. "I am really starting to think my professors get together and conspire so that all my assignments are due on the same day."

"Sam the conspiracy artist. Who would have thought?" Mercedes said. "Sadly, I know the feeling. I had two papers due yesterday and two midterms today. I'm exhausted."

"Why did you want to Skype, baby doll?" I asked. "Go to sleep."

"I missed you." Her admission caused me to smile. "We haven't Skyped in three days."

"Yeah. I missed you too. This week has been insane. I haven't really had the time to think between school, football, tutoring, and guitar club-"

"Guitar club?" Mercedes asked surprised. "You didn't tell me about that. How was it?"

"It started last week." I said on shrug. "Puck convinced me to go with him. It was fun. How has school been for you-"

My question was cut off by an angry Santana slamming the door.

"Hi Sam!" Santana practically yelled angrily. "Hi Aretha!"

"Did Santana just barge into your room?" Mercedes asked confused

"No. I'm in Santana's room."

Mercedes looked at me with her 'hell-o-the no' face. "Excuse me? What are you doing in Santana's room?"

_I had to admit that this looked bad._ "Mike kicked me out of my room for Tina." I said. "I couldn't sleep in Matt's room because Matt and Santana were on a date. Santana said I could use her room, but I didn't think she was coming back."

"What? Matt and Santana?" Mercedes asked in disbelief. She lowered her voice almost to a whisper. "When did that happen?"

I shrugged my shoulders and leaned in closer to the screen. I whispered, "I have no idea."

"I can hear you both!" Santana yelled

"What happened, Santana?" I asked

"Matt and I got into an argument." Santana said. Santana looked at me before walking over. "Give me the computer."

"What? Why?"

"I need to talk to Mercedes about this." Santana said. "I need advice."

Santana took the computer from me and sat it at the desk with it. "Mercedes?" Santana asked

"No, you did not just take me away from my baby!" I heard Mercedes say as I grinned at the endearment.

"I need you more than wannabe-Bieber right now." Santana protested

I laid down on my side when I heard Mercedes finally agree. I felt something poke me in the side. I reached down into my pocket and pulled out an envelope. I had forgotten about my letter from Quinn. I opened the envelope and pulled the letter out. I read it.

_Dear Sam,_

_I'm happy to hear that college has been going well for you. The psychology major sounds perfect for you. I always thought you were a great listener._

_Also, Sam, I know it is frustrating being second string, but you should hang in there. I'm sure they will recognize your talent. Your coach would be idiot if he didn't make you first string. (Don't tell Finn, but I always thought that you were the better player in high school.) Anyway, tell me how everything works out. I love receiving letters back from you guys. I can always count on you, Mercedes, and Finn to write me back consistently._

_As for me, I've been volunteering at an all girls' school. It never ceases to amaze me how enthusiastic they are about school. It's inspiring. When I was their age, I was only worried about how my outfit looked or boys._

_So, how is the semester going?_

_Sincerely,_

_Quinn_

I would write Quinn back later. As I closed the letter, I heard Mercedes say,

"You can't toy around with Matt, Santana. It isn't right."

"You don't understand, Mercedes."

"No, I think I do understand. Santana, the only person who is going to be hurt in the end is Matt." Mercedes said. "You have to be true to yourself. This isn't fair to anyone. You're only using Matt to get over Brittany."

"I hear you, Mercedes." Santana said crossing her arms. "I'll think about it. Thanks." Santana grabbed the laptop and handed it back to me.

Mercedes smiled at me. "Hey, Sam."

I smiled back. "Hey, Mercedes."

Santana interrupted, "You both just talked to each other. Why are you saying hi again?"

"Our conversation." I said oscillating my finger between myself and the screen.

"Whatever." Santana said opening one of her textbooks.

Mercedes said, "Sam." I turned my attention back to the screen. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

I watched as Mercedes wrote something in her notebook. After Mercedes finished writing, she faced the notebook to me. It said:

_Can you go and sleep at Matt's? _

_I trust you, but you and a distressed person (Santana) is not a good combination._

She flipped the notebook. The other side read,

_Resist your complex!_

I laughed and nodded in response.

"Okay. Talk to you, tomorrow. Love you, Sam."

"Love you, too."

I logged out and shut down the computer.

"Tana, see you later. I'm going to Matt's."

Santana looked at me confused. "Why? I have an extra pillow and blanket. You can sleep on the floor."

I chuckled. "As appealing as that sounds, Matt has three free beds in his room."

"Eww." Santana said in response. "You don't know where Matt's disgusting roommates have been. My floor is probably more sanitary." Santana said walking over to me.

"I don't care." I said on a yawn. "I just want to sleep."

I got up from the bed and walked toward the door. Then Santana grabbed my arm.

"Don't make me say it, Sam."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "Say what?"

"I don't want to be by myself." Santana confessed. "You can have the bed. I don't care."

"It wasn't about the bed, Santana."

Santana smirked. "Its Mercedes, isn't it?" I looked at her in shock as she let go of my arm. "She doesn't want you staying with me." Santana cocked her head and rolled her eyes. "I'm gay, Trouty Mouth."

"A gay girl dating a guy." I said. "Santana, I understand where Mercedes is coming from and I want to respect her request."

"Since when does Mercedes own you?"

"Cheap psychology isn't going to work, Santana. This is my decision."

"Fine. Go to Matt's." Santana snapped. "I thought you were my friend."

I sighed. Everything in me wanted to stay and help her, but I promised Mercedes I wouldn't sleep there. I figured talking to her awhile wouldn't hurt. "What's going on with you, Santana? What are you doing with Matt? Does he know you're gay?"

Santana shook her head. "No and you better not tell him."

"Maybe I should, since I can make my own decisions."

Santana glared at me then crossed her arms. "Go away."

I sighed and walked over to sit next to her. "Talk to me. I can't stay all night, but we can talk."

With that statement, Santana told me everything. She laid her head on my shoulder.

"Matt and I have a class together. We have been talking for the past month, and we did our class assignments together." Santana paused. "The weird part is when I talk to Matt, I feel better. Matt tells me that I'm beautiful and amazing. He said he missed me most of all when his family had to move for his dad's job. When I'm with Matt, I think about Brittany less and less. I hurt less." She paused. "We started dating after it happened."

"What?"

"Damn, Facebook." Santana said. "One morning, I went on and saw that Brittany changed her status to in a relationship."

"I'm sorry, Santana."

"I saw the picture of the other girl. She isn't even as pretty as me." Santana sighed. "Anyway, later that day in class, Matt and I made plans to study. Then he asked me out on a date. I thought about how Brittany had obviously moved on. Why couldn't I?"

"Santana, you know this won't end well. I don't want to see either of you get hurt. It sounds like you're just using Matt to feel better."

"I know. It's like Brittany was heroin and Matt is methadone. I'm using him to wean me from the real thing."

I nodded. "If you don't mind me asking, what were you and Matt arguing about?"

"We were arguing about you."

"Why were you arguing about me?"

"Matt thinks I'm embarrassed of him, because I didn't tell you." Santana laughed. "That is ludicrous. I didn't tell you, because I was afraid of what you would say."

I laughed. "Since when do you care about what I think?"

Santana shrugged.

"Santana, I know you want to feel better, but you cannot toy around with Matt's feelings-"

"Now, you sound like Mercedes."

I continued, "I have heard the way he talks about you. Matt really likes you. You need to tell him that you can't return the feelings."

Santana and I continued to talk for a couple of hours. Well, it was mostly Santana talking and listening on my part. About 1 am, Santana had fallen asleep. I walked out quietly so I wouldn't wake her up. Since it was so late at night, I decided not to walk down the street to Matt's house. I slept on the couch in the common room.

* * *

><p>Chapter 18 (Romeo and Juliet):<p>

"Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum

"Superman" by Robin Thicke


	22. Chapter 21: If This Were a Movie

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review! Please forgive any grammatical errors.

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

Author's Note: I hope you guys don't mind but this chapter is extremely long. Also, part of this chapter was inspired by the song "If This Was a Movie" by Taylor Swift, and this is the first time I used a song that no one was actually singing. It works as more of a backdrop for the mood. I hope it isn't too confusing when it comes up. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>The next day, it was announced at football practice that I had been promoted to first string quarterback. It was one of the proudest moments of my life. For one of the few times in my life, I was first choice. At this point in my life, I had come in second so many times. I had been the back-up quarterback in high school. I had been second in Quinn's eyes and Santana's too for that matter.<p>

When my family lost everything, I hit bottom. I felt like I was always behind. I got a job at seventeen years old. I tried to make life better for my family, but I felt like it wasn't enough. It felt like nothing went right, but now everything was different.

Now, my life was always how I dreamed it would be. I was first string and my impact on the team's season was enormous and immediate. The Ohio State football team would go undefeated for the rest of the regular season while I was quarterback. My family was stable and happy. Best of all, I had a girl who loved me as much as I loved her.

I was on top of world.

After practice, Matt, Adam and I decided to go to celebrate my promotion. We talked about how we should celebrate while walking back to the dorms.

"I don't care what we do, as long as the night including the grand trifecta." Matt said zipping up his coat further. It was a brisk October afternoon.

"What would this trifecta consist of?" Adam asked even though he already knew the answer.

"Party, Girls, and Alcohol!" Matt practically yelled his response excitedly. "Especially GIRLS. I think due to recent events that GIRLS needs to be emphasized. " Matt was more excited about our future party plans than any of us.

"Says the guy with a girlfriend." Adam retorted. "As long as there are a few cute guys there, I'm in."

"What? I can admire the girls." Matt said to Adam. "I just can't dance with them or Santana will kill me."

I laughed. "There is one condition to these plans."

"What?" Adam asked curiously.

"The condition is that Matt and I get to pick the place this time!" I said giving Adam a small shove in the arm. "I cannot go through another 'Club Rainbow' fiasco again. You set us up."

Two weeks ago, Adam, Matt, and I decided to hang out (or party) before we had to start studying for midterms. Adam found a new 21 and under club called, 'Club Rainbow'. Adam convinced us that it would be a fun place to go, but what he neglected to tell us was that it was a gay club.

"I should have known something was up when the only girl at the club was a waitress." Matt said.

I nodded before adding, "I should have known something was up when only thing that all the guys wanted to talk about was my hair."

Adam laughed. "The name 'Club Rainbow' wasn't an obvious hint?"

I shrugged. "I thought it was a color theme."

"Okay, maybe I was a little deceptive." Adam said closing the gap between his index finger and thumb to illustrate his point.

"A little?" Matt asked. "Are you kidding? You let us on."

Adam put his hands up in fake surrender. "Alright, you got me. I knew y'all wouldn't go otherwise. I needed wingmen, but you have to admit that you had fun. I know I did." Adam started to laugh. "Matt, remember the guy who sang 'Brown Sugar' by D'Angelo to you?"

"Are you talking about crazy Mohawk guy? How could I forget!" Matt exclaimed

During the one hour that we were at the club, Matt and I stayed in a corner of the room trying to ward away advances from guys. Almost of guys would leave after we told them that we were straight with girlfriends. But one guy was persistent and took a strong liking to Matt. Mohawk guy (our name for him) decided he was going to serenade Matt. Matt stood there mortified as the guy sang to him. Adam and I laughed hard a couple of feet away.

"Matt, you should seen your face when he starting to sing. The whole thing was HILARIOUS." I said. "I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time."

Matt rolled his eyes. "I tell him that I have a girlfriend and keeps on singing-"

"_I want some of your Brown Sugar! Oooohooooh! I want some of your Brown Sugar! Oooohooooh!"_ Adam and I sang in unison.

"No!" Matt said cupping his hands over his ears. "I NEVER want to hear that song again."

"Too bad." Adam said taking out his cell phone. "It's my ringtone for you now."

Matt groaned as I continued to laugh. Matt said, "The only good thing that came out that night was the free drinks the guys kept buying us. I never turn down free drinks or food."

I finally started to calm down from my fit of laughter. "Guys, maybe we should skip the party and go to the movies or something."

Adam and Matt looked at me in disbelief.

"Seriously, Sam?" Adam asked

"Sam, you are the Ohio State quarterback now. You're the big man on campus." Matt said. "We need a proper celebration and Happy Feet 2 should be nowhere near our plans."

"Hey!" Adam joked. "Don't knock the dancing penguins! They have feelings."

"Seriously, I'm not really in a party mood." I said. "Honestly, it isn't really fun for me anyway. I spent the entire time telling girls that I already have a girlfriend and-" I stopped mid-sentence when I noticed a group of guys staring at us. Actually, they were glaring at us.

"What were you going to say, Sam?" Matt asked.

"Do you see those guys staring at us?" I asked Matt and Adam.

Adam gave a nervous nod, while Matt inconspicuously turned to the side to get a quick glance at the guys. "Those guys look like bad news. I doubt that they're even students."

"Adam." One of the guys from the group yelled.

"You know them, Adam?" I asked

"Yeah…um…I'll see you guys later." Adam stammered.

"Adam, be careful." Matt warned "Those guys don't look like they're up to any good."

Adam nodded and gave a small wave before walking over to the group of guys.

"What do you think that was about?" I asked

"I have no idea." Matt replied. "But I know it isn't good."

* * *

><p><em>Buzz, Buzz, Buzz<em>

The story was interrupted when Mark's phone started to vibrate loudly. Mark grabbed the phone out of his pocket. He grinned when he read the caller id on his phone.

"Someone is happy." I said

Mark looked up from his phone to see Heather and me looking at him. He dropped his grin and rolled his eyes. "It's nothing." He mumbled

Heather giggled. "I think its Beth. I still think Mark has a girlfriend."

"It is Beth." Mark admitted. "But she is not my girlfriend." Mark stood up from the chair. "I need to take this call."

I nodded and Mark headed into the foyer to take his phone call.

"I need to make a phone call too, sweetheart." I said before kissing the top of her head. I got off the couch and grabbed the cordless phone from the coffee table.

"Okay, daddy." Heather said twisting a lock of hair around her finger. "Please, don't take too long. This is a life changing story!"

_That was the understatement of the year._ "Okay, sweetheart." I walked into my room where I was out of earshot of Heather and Mark. I dialed Puck's number. It rang two times before someone answered.

"Hello?" Zack, one of Puck and Lauren's oldest sons, answered.

"Hey, Zack. This is Uncle Sam. Is your dad around?" I asked

"No, but my mom is here." Zack offered

"Sure. Let me talk to her."

I heard Zack yell 'Mom' and there was some other background noise, before Lauren answered. "Hey, Sam. How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you?" I asked

"I can't complain." Lauren said before saying '_quiet, I'm on the phone'_ to her kids in the background. "So…Sam, I heard about the story."

I sighed. "I just took a break from telling her."

"What part are you on?"

"College years."

"Oh. Those were an eventful few years for you." Lauren said

"More like a rollercoaster."

"Well, I'm glad you're telling her. She deserves the truth." Lauren said. "Plus, it would be nice to not have to monitor what Puck says around Heather anymore."

I chuckled. "Yeah. Actually, speaking of Puck, I needed to talk to him. Can you give him a message for me?"

"Sure. I don't know when he can get back to you. He is away at a conference in Portland."

"Okay. Can you tell him to call me when he gets the chance? I need to tell him something. It's important."

"Sure thing, Sam."

"Thanks, Lauren. Bye."

"Bye." I hung up the phone and walked back into the living room. Mark and Heather were sitting on the couch. Heather seemed transfixed on whatever Mark was saying.

I sat back on the couch as Mark finished his story.

"Wow. Your mom sounds amazing." Heather said. "Did she really do that?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah, she did. My mom was amazing."

"Where is she now?" Heather asked.

Mark stiffened at the question and looked off to the side. His entire demeanor became almost somber in an instant. "She passed away."

"She died?" Heather said sadly. "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry for you loss, Mark." I said

Mark nodded. "Her death was recent and I don't feel comfortable enough to talk about this yet."

"We understand." I said trying to change the subject. "I'll start the story-"

"Is my mom dead?" Heather asked bluntly. I was taken aback by the question. I looked over to see Mark and Heather looking at me. I looked at Heather. Her body was still and her eyes were slightly winced. Heather was preparing herself for the worst. I sighed and Mark seemingly interrupted my sigh as a yes. I saw him grab Heather's hand out the corner of my eye.

"It will be okay, Heather." Mark said trying to comfort her. "I've been told it gets better."

I shook my head. "I cannot answer that question. The answer is complicated."

"How is the answer complicated?" Mark asked in disbelief. "It is a yes or a no."

"It's not that simple." I said. "And when I finally finish this story Heather will know why…"

* * *

><p>It was Saturday and I was on my way over to the Jones' house. Mike dropped me off since he was in Lima to visit his parents.<p>

I walked up to the Jones' door and rang the doorbell. I waited as I felt the cold breeze pass my face. It was unusually cold for mid-October. I blew the warm air from my mouth to see it evaporate in the cold air. Then Deshawn opened the door.

"Hey, Nebraska." Deshawn said. "Glad you could help. Come in."

I walked into the foyer and put my coat on the coat racket. "So, is there anything you need me to do?" I asked

"Follow me."

"Where are we going?" I asked

"Somewhere you were forbidden to go." Deshawn started to jog up the stairs and I followed. When we reached the top of the floor, Deshawn walked into Mercedes' room. I followed him in. This is the first time I was ever in her room. The walls were lavender with yellow lamps and other decorations. There was a computer desk and a guy was sitting at. We both exchanged a neutral nod. I noticed her vanity mirror that was attached to her dresser was shattered. _How did that happen?_

A few moments later, I heard a rhythm of a clicking sound and then a footstep coming from the hall. Within a few seconds, Mr. Jones was in the doorway on crutches.

"Hello, Mr. Jones." I said

Mr. Jones nodded before saying, "Hello, Sam."

"What happened to the mirror?" I asked.

Mr. Jones sent a glaring look to Deshawn, before saying, "The same thing that happened to my ankle."

Deshawn gave a half-shrug and mumbled a 'sorry'. Deshawn went on to explain the story of what had happened earlier this week. Deshawn and his friends had come over to the Jones' to study for midterms while Mr. and Mrs. Jones were out. They never really studied since they started tossing a football around immediately. One thing led to another and the game became serious. They were on the second floor when Deshawn threw the ball to his friend. His friend missed the catch and the ball hit the Mercedes' mirror, shattering it.

When Mr. Jones came back, he went upstairs to survey the damage. The football was still in the middle of the hallway and Mr. Jones didn't see it. He tripped over it and fell down in an awkward position. He twisted his ankle.

Mr. Jones shook his head, "Deshawn, I hope you have kids who are exactly like you."

"Why would you wish that upon me?" Deshawn said

"Anyway, Sam. I cannot lift the furniture in my condition." Mr. Jones said temporarily lifting one of his crutches. "My nephew, Glen over there-" The guy at the computer said 'here'. Mr Jones let out a hearty chuckle. "I need you, Glen and Deshawn to move Mercedes' old furniture out to the front so the good will can pick it up. The mirror that Deshawn broke was discontinued and Mercedes needed new furniture anyway."

"Okay."

"Thanks for helping Sam." Mr. Jones said using the crutches to walk away.

"No problem." I said before turning my attention to Deshawn. "You guys called me to help. I'm touched."

Deshawn chuckled. "Don't hype yourself up, Sam. You are free labor."

We spent the next two hours moving the furniture out while Mr. Jones conducted the whole move. Glen swept the broken glass up before Deshawn and I moved the mirror and vanity to the side. I noticed a large piece of paper attached to the wall. It had been behind the mirror.

"What's that?" I asked. We moved the vanity over further to get a better look. Behind the mirror, there was a huge horizontal world map. There were different colored pins all over it.

"Wow." Deshawn said genuinely amazed. "I haven't seen this map since I was eight. This is the 'Wish Map' that Mercedes and I made when we were little. I forgot all it."

"A wish map?" I said

Deshawn nodded. "Our grandfather was an architect. He traveled all over the world and would bring Mercedes and me tokens back from different countries. We both decided that we would travel the world like him, so Mercedes and I made a map of the places that we wanted to go to." Deshawn walked closer to the map and pointed to the pins on the map. "Each pin color represents something different. The red pins are places we want to go. The blue pins are places we have been. The most important pin is the gold pin. Mercedes and I each got only one gold pin. The gold pin represents the one place in the world that the person must to go before age 30."

I looked at the map there were many red pins all over the map and a few blue pins in some surrounding states. There was one gold pin on London, England and one gold pin in Cancun, Mexico.

"I'm guessing the pin on London belongs to Mercedes." I said

Deshawn nodded. "When Mercedes was younger, she wanted to meet a princess. She was into Disney Princesses back then. I told her that England had royalty like Cinderella."

Mercedes had told me one time that she dreamed of going to London, but I didn't know that her dream had gone back to childhood. As I stared at the map, there was one question nagging at me.

"Why did you want to go to Mexico?" I asked. "Museums? History? Architecture?"

"I heard they have some crazy hot girls there." Deshawn said

I laughed. Only Deshawn would give an answer like that.

"Anyway, we made this map when we shared a room." Deshawn said

"You and Mercedes used to share a room?" I asked in disbelief. "How did that work out?"

Deshawn shook his head. "Not well. I refer to those times as the 'dark ages.' We were little kids and we had just moved into this house. My room wasn't done yet, so Mercedes and I shared a room." Deshawn shook his head again as if thinking back on horror of the memories. "Let's just say feelings were hurt, words were said, things were taken…she broke my beloved He-man action figure."

Glen yelled from the hall, "It was a doll!"

"It was an ACTION FIGURE!" Deshawn yelled back. "How dare you? I wasn't the one wearing a tutu and taking ballet when I was five."

Glen replied, "I told you to never bring that up again."

I loved hanging around Mercedes' family. They were always hilarious. After a couple of minutes, my phone rang. I reached in my pocket to grab it.

"No taking calls during work." Deshawn said

"You're not paying me." I said. "Besides, I need to answer this. My baby doll is calling."

Deshawn looked at me like I had just said something crazy. "Who the hell is baby doll? Are you cheating on my sister? Because Glen and I will commence to kicking your ass right now!"

I laughed. "Baby Doll is my nickname for Mercedes."

Deshawn twisted his face up in disgust. "TMI. I didn't want to know that. Anyway, Nebraska, what kind of my name is baby doll? That is so country."

"What kind of name is Nebraska?" I retorted.

"It's where you are from. You don't know your own home state?"

"I'm from Tennessee."

"Why didn't you say that?" Deshawn asked seriously. "I would have called you Tennessee."

"I did! I told you that before Mercedes and I went to prom!" I said in disbelief

"I don't remember. I was too wrapped up in plans for my date that night." Deshawn said shrugging his shoulders. "And I'm not changing it. I'm used to name. Besides, you should be flattered. Puck is only known as 'asshole' to me."

I gave a quick laugh and walked into the hall. "Hey Mercedes."

"Hey, Blondie."

"You will not believe where I am right now." I said looking down the hall to make sure no one was listening.

"Where?"

"Your house. I was just in your room."

"What? Why are you in my room?" Mercedes asked shocked. I could picture her shocked facial expression by the tone of her voice.

"Helping with umm…reconstruction?"

"Oh my God. What did they do to my room?" Mercedes asked slightly panicked. "What did they have to fix? I bet Deshawn had something to do with this."

I laughed walking down the hall. I stopped in front of the huge wall of pictures in the middle of the hall. The wall was filled with pictures of old and new pictures of family and friends. There were even some pictures of Kurt and Quinn. I looked over the pictures and stopped at a picture of Mercedes as a little girl. "You were a pretty little girl." I said

"Huh?" Mercedes said. "Oh. You're looking at the picture wall, aren't you?"

"Yeah. You looked so happy. I hope our daughter looks like you." I said absentmindedly. Then all I heard was silence on the other end of the phone and I wished I hadn't said that. "Mercedes?"

No response.

"Mercedes, I was thinking out loud. I'm sorry. Please don't be freaked out. Are you freaked out?" I stammered nervously. I meant what I said, and we had been dating for almost a year and a half. But I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.

"Mercedes…"

"I'm not freaked out." Mercedes finally said. "I'm just speechless."

"Oh. A good speechless or a bad speechless?"

Mercedes let out a light laugh. "Definitely a great speechless, but I disagree with you."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I hope our kids look like you." Mercedes said. I was kind of happy that she couldn't see the embarrassingly wide smile that had spread across my face. "I think about what our family would be like sometimes."

"What do see when you think about our family?" I asked curiously. This conversation was probably a little premature for a couple of teenagers to have, but I knew this was the girl I wanted to marry.

Mercedes gave a small nervous laugh. "I see us in a house in the suburbs with three kids. I always see us with two boys and a girl. In my daydream, the whole family is in the living room. We're watching Avatar trilogy for the billionth time. Our daughter is complaining about watching it, but she secretly loves it. The boys are even more excited than you if you can believe that. They starting arguing in Na'vi and you look like you couldn't be more proud. We have shaggy-haired brown dog that runs in the room for the movie. He is always snuggled underneath the kids. When the movie starts, I look at kids and smile. I think _when did we get such an amazing, beautiful family_. Then I look at you but you were already staring at me. You mouth 'I love you' and I say 'I love you more.' Then…the daydream ends there. I have to pay attention in class."

"Wow. I really like your dream. Do you mind if I steal it?"

"Of course not. It would be nice to know that we're dreaming about the same thing."

"What are their names?" I asked

"Huh?"

"Our kids. What are their names?"

"I don't know." Mercedes said. "I like the names Jacob or Derek. Maybe one of them could be Sam, Jr."

I smiled. "What about our daughter that looks like you?"

I was thousands of miles away from Mercedes, but I knew she was smiling. "I always wanted a daughter named Melody. Her name would be like a song."

I sat down against the banister in the hallway reveling in the possibilities of our future together. "That's beautiful, 'Cedes."

"What about you, Evans? What do you see?"

"I don't think my ideas are as good as yours, but…" I said "Well, I always liked the name Lisa for a girl."

"Really?" Mercedes asked amused. "I like it."

I continued, "I always saw us with a big family of four kids."

"Four?"

"Yeah, my daydream is a little different. We would have two girls and two boys. I did see the house in the suburbs and the dog, too, but I see us watching football. The girls and I are cheering for the Tennessee Titans. You and the boys are rooting for the Cleveland Browns."

Mercedes laughed. "Great. We have daddy's girls and momma's boys."

"Yeah. And of course, the Tennessee Titans win."

Mercedes chuckled. "In your dreams."

"It is my dream." I quickly retorted. "Then the kids go bed, so mommy and daddy can-"

"PG, Sam." Mercedes said quickly. "You're in my house with my dad and brother and they might hear you. I can't save you from California, so call me later."

"Good call." I said looking up at the pictures. Then I noticed a picture of me next to a picture of Mercedes.

"You have a picture of me?" I asked. I was flattered and happy that I had my own spot on the wall.

"Of course. I always have a picture of you. I wear it around my neck." Mercedes said referring to the heart-shaped locket that I had given her.

I smiled. "I cannot wait for Thanksgiving."

"Ditto."

* * *

><p>It was Thanksgiving weekend. I had spent Thanksgiving with my family at our house in Cleveland. It was nice for all of us to be together again. Mom and Dad talked about work and saving up to visit grandma and grandpa in Nashville. I talked about college and football. Stacy and Stevie talked about their middle school woes. My parents surprised me with an old truck after dinner. I was so happy. The truck definitely needed some work, but it was mine.<p>

I spent Black Friday morning waiting in line at Best Buy with Mike. Mike wanted to buy a television that was on sale and I waited in line with him in below freezing temperatures.

When Saturday came around, I drove to the Jones' house around 12 pm for brunch. I would finally get to see Mercedes. I walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. After a few seconds, Mrs. Jones answered the door.

"Welcome Sam. Come in." Mrs. Jones said.

"Hi, Mrs. Jones." I said walking into the foyer. I dropped my coat off on the coat rack.

"Mercedes is in the living room arguing with Deshawn about something." Mrs. Jones said walking back into the kitchen. "Make yourself at home!"

I walked in the room and they were arguing about Marvel. I was about to join the argument but I noticed Mercedes was sitting with her back to me on the couch. I wanted to surprise her since she hadn't noticed me walk in yet. Sitting in the chair next to the couch, Deshawn saw me. I put my index finger against my lips to signal to him not to say anything. He nodded. I walked up behind Mercedes and put both of my hands over her eyes. I felt her tense a little.

"Guess who?" I asked without disguising my voice.

"Sam!" Mercedes said spinning around to hug me from the couch. "I missed you so much." Before I could say anything, she kissed me. I closed my eyes when I kissed her back. I had missed her too. Soon we heard gagging sounds coming from Deshawn.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Deshawn putting his index finger into mouth pretending to throw up.

"Take your nasty away from me!" Deshawn said quickly.

"Deshawn-" Mercedes said

"Where is the respect? None I tell you. No respect. No respect!" Deshawn said shaking his head.

"Sorry, Deshawn. We'll be on our best behavior." Mercedes said sitting down.

"Speak for yourself." I whispered to Mercedes before sitting down next to her on the couch. I continued staring at Mercedes which caused her to blush.

"Hey!" Deshawn said snapping his fingers in my direction. "Stop making googly eyes at my sister!"

I stopped staring at Mercedes and gave Deshawn an apologetic half-smile before leaning back into the couch.

"So, what were you both talking or arguing about?" I asked. "Marvel? Superheroes?"

"Yeah, but it's like arguing with a brick wall." Deshawn said tilting his head to Mercedes. "You're so stubborn."

"Your arguments were weak." Mercedes said

"Whatever." Deshawn said standing up. "I'm going to see if my mom needs any help with the food."

"A.K.A. You're going to try to sneak and eat the food." Mercedes said

"Exactly." Deshawn said walking into the foyer and then down the hall to the kitchen.

I waited until Deshawn was out of eyesight. "He's gone." I said looking at her. "Do we still have to be on our best behavior?"

Mercedes smiled before looking around the living room and into the foyer. When Mercedes saw the coast was clear, she shook her head. She closed her eyes and leaned forward slightly. I took that as my cue and leaned in to kiss her. Our lips only made contact for five seconds before Mrs. Jones yelled that brunch was ready from the kitchen. Mercedes broke the kiss and sighed. I placed my forehead gently on hers and gave a half-smile. I had an idea.

"Do you want to hang out on Ohio State campus after brunch?" I asked. "It's only about two hours away from here."

Mercedes slightly nodded without breaking our contact. "Sure, I'd love to."

* * *

><p>Mr. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Deshawn, Mercedes and I all sat around the table to eat.<p>

"So, Sam. How was your semester?" Mr. Jones asked

"It was great. I got all As and Bs." I said. "I was also made starting quarterback for the football team."

"Mercedes told us." Mrs. Jones said. "Congratulations."

"Congrats on the grades, too." Mr. Jones added. "Very good for your first semester."

"Yeah. I'm just trying to keep up with Mercedes." I said smiling proudly at her.

Mercedes shrugged her shoulders. "Everyone knows I got straight As. I know I'm a genius." Mercedes said with playful arrogance.

"No one can top my first semester at Ohio State." Deshawn said popping his collar. "I partied hard and still got straight Bs." Even though I didn't see him much, Deshawn had transferred from community college to Ohio State at the beginning of the semester.

"And you're proud of that?" Mercedes asked

"Yeah!" Deshawn said dropping his fork. "Let me break down for you little sister. Anyone can stay in their room, study, and get straight As. But it takes a person of true mental superiority to party until 2am , come back to study, sleep for 3 hrs, take an exam, and still get a B."

"So, what I heard from all of that is you can get straight As but you don't try hard enough." Mr. Jones said slightly frustrated.

"I really hope you get your act together one day, son." Mrs. Jones said while pouring orange juice into her glass.

"I thought I had a pretty solid schedule of party, study, sleep and party." Deshawn said shrugging his shoulders. "Well, mother and father, if it makes you feel better, I'm starting at 1st base for the baseball team next semester. So, my schedule will have to include less party."

"It does make me feel better." Mr. Jones said. "Speaking of future semesters, Mercedes have you given any thought to that study abroad offer?"

"Not yet." Mercedes said quickly.

Confusion spread across my face. Mercedes hadn't told me about a study abroad offer and we usually tell each other everything. I looked over to Mercedes, who was sitting next to me. She averted my gaze, which confused me even more.

"What study abroad offer?" I asked. "Where are you going?"

"You didn't tell Nebraska, Mercy?" Deshawn said instigating the situation. "Drama!"

"Shut up, Deshawn!" Mercedes said quickly

"What study abroad offer?" I asked again

Mercedes sighed. "One of my professors recommended me for a special study abroad program. Out of all the recommended students, the committee picked me. It is an all-expense paid study abroad program to London."

I smiled at her. "That's amazing!" I said genuinely happy for her. "You have always wanted to go to London and here is your chance. Why are you even thinking about it? Go!"

Mercedes gave me a half-smile and looked down at her plate. Something wasn't right.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you more excited?" I asked

Mercedes didn't look back up at me. Instead, she sighed and tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear.

"Am I missing something?" I asked before looking at everyone else around the table. Deshawn, Mr. Jones, and Mrs. Jones all had almost apologetic expressions on their faces when they looked at me.

"Think about it, Nebraska." Deshawn said. "Ask her when."

Mercedes threw a death glare to Deshawn so intense that even I flinched a little. Deshawn shrugged and continued to eat his food. Mercedes softened her expression and looked at me.

"Sam, I didn't want to tell you until I decided-"

"What's to decide?" I asked. "It is during the spring semester, right?"

"1." Deshawn said

"No." Mercedes said softly. "It's during the summer semester. It actually starts a week after the spring semester ends and it doesn't end until a week before the fall semester begins."

"I still don't get what's wrong-" I paused and leaned back in my chair slightly after thinking about it. "Wait a minute…"

"2." Deshawn said

"You will be gone all summer." I said

Mercedes nodded. "Yes."

"3." Deshawn said

"That means we wouldn't see each other until next winter break. An entire _year_ from now." I said in disbelief.

"Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!" Deshawn said repeatedly. "And finally country boy figures it out!"

Mercedes snapped her head to glare at Deshawn. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Mercedes said repeatedly. "This is not an appropriate time for you to be your rude self."

"Excuse me-" Deshawn started to say, but Mr. Jones sent him a look that said _leave her alone_.

Mercedes sighed. "Can Sam and I be excused, Mom?"

Mrs. Jones nodded. Mercedes and I walked in the living room to finish our conversation.

We sat next to each other on the couch and neither one of us said anything. Mercedes looked at me and I looked back at her. She didn't want to be the first to talk so I asked her the obvious question.

"Am I the reason that you won't accept this amazing opportunity?"

Mercedes nodded slightly, before saying "Don't say it like that. You're not holding me back-"

"But I feel like I am." I said

Mercedes sighed and looked down at her hands. She twisted her bracelet slightly before admitting why she was reluctant in going abroad.

"Sam, I have missed you every day." Mercedes said with emotion in her voice. "I know I'm not supposed to have feelings this strong so young, but the thought of not seeing you for a year…kills me."

"I feel the same way and I despise the idea of being apart, too." I said. "But you have wanted to go ever since you were young-"

"I'll have other chances, Sam." Mercedes said

I shook my head. "An entire free summer in London is a once in a lifetime opportunity." I said "I never want you to ever have to sacrifice for me, especially not a childhood dream."

"Can we talk about this later?" Mercedes asked. "I'm tired of arguing with my parents, and I don't want to argue with you."

"Your parents want you to go?"

Mercedes nodded.

"Well, I agree with them, but we can talk about this later." I reached into my pockets for my car keys. "Let's go to campus."

* * *

><p>The car ride to the Ohio State campus was mostly in silence. The tension in the air was thick. Mercedes didn't want to talk about 'the elephant in the room' but that was all I could think about. Mercedes had an opportunity to go to London. Sure, I wanted to give in and say stay with me, but I couldn't do that to her. I knew how much the trip meant to her and I didn't want her to resent later for making her give it up. I sighed as Mercedes pulled out an orange notebook. I tried to lighten the mood by holding her hand. Mercedes smiled and griped my hand affectionately before letting go.<p>

"You don't want to hold my hand?" I pouted

Mercedes laughed. "Always, but put both hands on the steering wheel, Blondie."

"Yes, ma'am." I said putting my other hand on the steering wheel.

I drummed my thumbs against the steering to a song that had been stuck in my head while Mercedes wrote in her book.

"What are you writing?" I asked.

"It is my poetry book." Mercedes answered. "I had an idea, so I'm writing it down."

"Poems?" I asked. "Did I inspire any of them?"

Mercedes snorted. "About 70% of them."

"Really? Can I hear one?"

"No." Mercedes said playfully. "Sorry, it's private."

"Come on." I said. "Just one?"

"Well, this is one is kind of special to me." Mercedes proceeded to read her poem entitled 'First Love'. The poem was beautiful, but one thing puzzled me.

"Who was your first love in the poem? Music or me?" I asked. "It's a little vague."

"That's for me to know." Mercedes said. "I have to keep you guessing."

I chuckled. "Okay. One more question."

"What?"

"Let's pretend it was me. According to your poem, I was your first kiss goodnight. Is that true?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah, Sam." Mercedes answered bashfully.

I smiled. "Is it a little selfish to be really happy about that?"

Mercedes gave a small shrug. I controlled steering wheel with my left hand while I grabbed Mercedes' hand with my right.

"What are you doing?" Mercedes asked

"Holding your hand."

* * *

><p>When we got to campus, I showed Mercedes around. Then I called the glees club kids at Ohio State and Adam to hang out. Mercedes, Tina, Mike, Matt, Santana, Puck, Adam, and I all met in Santana's room to hang out and catch up. It was a lot of fun and stories.<p>

Afterwards, Mercedes and I headed back to my dorm room. Mercedes sat on the chair, while I walked in and kicked my shoes off. I had an idea which caused me to smirk. I pulled off one of my socks and put it on the outside doorknob. I closed the door.

"What are you doing?" Mercedes asked

"Getting a little revenge on Mike." I said sitting on the bed. I looked outside and it was already dark. I looked at the clock and it was only 6:30 pm.

"I hate that it gets dark so early around this time of the year." I said

"Not a night owl, Evans?" Mercedes asked

"Not really. I like the sunlight and warmth." I looked over at Mercedes. We had been avoiding our inevitable conversation long enough. "Can we talk about it now?"

Mercedes sighed. "If we have too."

"Mercedes, I want you to go." I said bluntly

"It's not your decision." Mercedes said.

I looked over at Mercedes. "I thought we would make decisions together."

Mercedes shrugged her shoulders. "No, the decision is mine. I'll take your opinion into account, but it's my decision."

I started to get a little pissed off. I tried to hold the edge in my voice but it came through. "You'll take my opinion, but it really doesn't matter?"

Mercedes stood up and raised her voice slightly. "Your opinion does matter, but it is not a deciding factor. I don't understand why you're so upset. I'm choosing not to go for you!"

"I'm upset-" I said before sighing. The anger was lost from my voice and I motioned for Mercedes to sit next to me on the bed. Mercedes looked at me questioningly before walking over to sit down. I grabbed her hand and absentmindedly rubbed my thumb over her fingers. "Mercedes, I'm upset that you even have to make this decision. You shouldn't have to choose between me and a dream."

She rested her head on my shoulder. "But what kind of relationship can we have if we never see each other?"

Mercedes was right. How could a relationship work if we were almost never in the same state? "Mercedes-"

"Don't you dare say it." Mercedes said sadly. The tone of Mercedes' voice broke my heart. It killed me that I was the cause of her sadness.

"You deserve so much more than a part time boyfriend." I said.

"Sam, you're not part-time. We talk almost every day." Mercedes countered. I sighed and moved to lay down on the bed. Mercedes followed and laid down next to me. I laid on my side to fully face her. Mercedes did the same.

"You know that I want nothing but the best for you, right?" I said.

Mercedes nodded.

"And if I'm in the way of that-" I said. "Then I'm not what is best for you."

Mercedes' voice cracked a little. "Why are you saying this?"

"I don't want you to resent me for giving up London or anything else."

"I wouldn't resent you, Sam." Mercedes said softly

"You wouldn't resent me, now…" I said. "But may be a couple years from now, you'll look back and wish you had gone." I never thought I would ever say what I was about to say. I mean this is the girl I wanted to marry one day. I looked into Mercedes' eyes and she knew what I was going to say.

"Maybe we should take a break…"

"You're breaking up with me." Mercedes said in disbelief. "I don't believe this…"

"Mercedes-"

"Remember when we were in my car? It was the day that you told me that your dad had gotten a job in Cleveland."

I nodded.

"You told that you would never break up with me. You said 'I want to be with you and only you'-

"I wasn't lying. I still feel that way-"

Mercedes continued, "You didn't keep your word!" I saw a couple tears fall from her eyes. I tried to wipe them away but she jerked her head away from me. That hurt.

"I still want to be with you!" I said. "I want to mar-" I stopped myself from saying the word 'marry.' It would just make this harder.

"What were you going to say?" Mercedes asked.

"Nothing." I said. "Mercedes, I can't think of a way to make this better. I can't leave Ohio State. I have a full scholarship-"

"Then I'll leave Stanford and transfer here." Mercedes said. I looked at her in amazement. One of the most remarkable things about Mercedes was how independent she was. Mercedes was willing to move for me. Mercedes loved me enough to leave her dream school. It was then I realized that we both were growing more dependent on each other. Could you really lose parts of yourself in a relationship? Was it a good thing?

I shook my head. "No, Mercedes. Giving up Stanford would be worse than giving up London." I sighed. "Mercedes, this is killing me. Do you think I want to end this? I think-I know I love you more than anything. This isn't fun for me."

Mercedes sighed. "This is really happening, isn't it?"

I nodded. "At least, it's better than if one of us had cheated on the other. We're breaking up on good terms."

Mercedes shook her head. "No, it's worse. When you break up on good terms, you always wonder 'what if.'"

Then Mercedes and I heard a loud groan from outside. It was Mike. He had seen the sock and now he had to find a place to sleep.

Mercedes and I both laughed.

"What was that Sam?" Mercedes asked

"A sock on the doorknob means privacy/do not enter. Mike usually uses that when Tina comes over. It was nice to give him a taste of his own medicine." I said still lightly laughing. Mercedes was chuckling too.

"Sam, it's too soon for us to be laughing." Mercedes said

I looked at Mercedes and she was smiling. I would miss this. I would miss her. She was so beautiful and it broke my heart that she was no longer mine.

I looked in her eyes. A piece of hair had fallen across her face and I tucked it behind her ear. I had this urge to kiss her, but then I remembered that I didn't have right anymore.

"Would you be upset if I kissed you?" I asked

Mercedes blinked a few times before shaking her head. I leaned forward to kiss her and she kissed me back. The kiss lasted too long for people who weren't together anymore, but we didn't care.

After the kiss, Mercedes laid her head on my chest and I wrapped my arm around her.

We fell asleep.

* * *

><p>It was June and it had been almost 7 months since Mercedes and I had broken up. I was driving on my way to Artie's house. Artie had sent a mass text earlier that week to all the glee club members.<p>

_Party at Artie's!_

_4pm. My house._

All of us were back or near Lima, Ohio, so it was the perfect time for a reunion. I wished Mercedes would be there, but I knew she wouldn't. Her flight for London left today.

I pulled into a parking spot in front of Artie's house. I noticed that my car had sputtered a bit, so I decided I would take it to Burt's shop later. Then I felt my phone buzz. It was a text from Mercedes.

"_I'm at the airport. Just said goodbye to my family."_

I texted back,

"_Is this text your goodbye to me?"_

Mercedes texted back,

"_Seems a little impersonal don't you think?"_

Before I could text back, Mercedes texts,

"_I thought you would be here."_

I texted,

"_I didn't think you wanted to see me."_

Mercedes texted,

"_Wrong Sam. Silly of me to think the hopeless romantic in you would have brought you here… I don't know…maybe I was hoping for a movie ending."_

I frowned. I felt like crap. I wanted to go, but I thought not going would be easier on both of us. I texted,

"_Yeah, this is definitely not the goodbye that you see in movies."_

I waited for a few minutes but Mercedes didn't text me back. I got out of the car. I walked up to Artie's house and rang the door. I was surprised when Santana opened the door.

"Oh." Santana said disappointed. "It's you."

"Hi to you too, Santana." I said walking past her. "Sorry, I'm not Brittany."

I saw Santana tense a little and then roll her eyes. "Shut up, Sam."

We both walked back into the room, and everyone exchanged hellos. In the living room, there was Mike, Tina, Finn, Rachel, Quinn, Puck, Lauren, Artie, and Blaine. I sat down next to Finn and joined in the conversation. Mostly everyone was talking what had happened to them in the past year. Quinn was in the middle of telling everyone about her experiences in Ghana when the door bell rang. Santana got up to answer it. I looked over at everyone and everyone seemed happy except for Rachel. She was looking off out the window as if she was in deep thought.

Then we heard the door slam hard and Matt practically yell, "No, Santana, I'm not alright. I'm furious!"

The first thought that came into my mind was he had finally figured out Santana's sexuality, but what he said next proved my first thought wrong. "How could the bastard do this to my mom? To me?"

"Did you slam my door?" Artie asked loudly.

Then Matt and Santana walked into the living room. Matt looked angrier than he sounded. Matt sat on the other side of Finn on the couch and sighed. "Sorry, Artie for slamming the door."

"Hey man." Finn said patting Matt on the back. "Long time, no see."

Matt gave a half-smile and said hi to everyone individually.

"What's wrong, Matt?" I asked. I had never seen Matt so upset before.

Matt laughed roughly. "My life."

I laughed too. "Can you be a little more specific?"

Matt sighed. "My dad has another family. That bastard." Matt said coldly.

"Another family?" Rachel asked shocked.

Matt nodded. "I just found out two hours ago. Do you guys remember that job my dad took during my sophomore year at McKinley? The job that my family moved for?"

Almost everyone nodded with the exception of Blaine and Lauren. "Well, in turns out my dad requested that job so he could move closer to his other family. How dare he uproot us for them?"

"Matt-" I started to say but Matt continued.

"He cheated on my mom with one of his employees. How original!" Matt said sarcastically. "I can't even be upset at the other family, because they didn't even know about us at first. The other woman moved away with their son, when she found out my dad was married. My dad followed them dragging my mom and me unwittingly along with him."

"Their son?" Santana asked

"Yeah. On top of everything, I now have a little brother." Matt said. "He is three years old. His name is Mark. Mark Rutherford."

The room filled with awkward silence and no one said anything. No one knew what to say. Suddenly, Kurt walked into the room with a cordless phone in his hand. "Diva sends her love and is about to board her plane in one hour…did I miss something?" Kurt must have noticed all the somber looks on everyone's faces. I looked over to Matt who looked too angry to even care.

"Matt, can we talk in the kitchen?" I asked.

"I don't want to talk." Matt said angrily. "I want to sulk in my anger long enough so that I get the courage to go and punch my dad in the face. None of you had to see the look on my mom's face. She looked…destroyed."

"Fighting with your dad will only make things worse." Mike said. "Come in the kitchen to talk with Sam and me."

I nodded, but Matt looked down to his feet. Surprisingly, it was Rachel that got up and sat down next to Matt. She placed a hand on his arm. "Matt, I can't imagine what you're feeling right now, but I think its best that you listen to Sam and Mike. They want to help you." Rachel rubbed his arm and Matt nodded standing up. Matt walked toward the kitchen and Mike and I followed.

I heard Kurt ask, "What the hell just happened?", before I closed the door behind us.

"I don't know what to do now." Matt said sadly. "My life has been turned upside down."

"Matt, there is nothing you can do. What's done is done. All you really can do is be there for your mom." I said. "Whatever you're feeling is probably ten times worse for her."

Matt nodded his head. "The crazy part is that I actually feel sorry for the little kid." Matt paused. "I mean my brother. It still feels weird to say that."

"Why?" Mike asked.

"The news of him and his mom is spreading through my extended family like wild fire." Matt said. "I've already gotten calls from cousins on both my dad and my mom's sides of family. They told me that they will never accept the 'bastard kid' and that they will always love me." Matt paused and sighed. "It feels wrong. Mark didn't ask for any of this and he is only three. He is practically a baby. I feel bad that he is coming into a family that hates him before they even know him."

"The whole situation sucks, Matt." Mike said. "You can't change your family's opinion, but you can control your own. If you're concerned for Mark, be his big brother. Be there for him."

Matt gave a small shrug. "I don't know…"

"Matt, it will get better one day." I said. "I know that day seems very far away right now, but it will come."

Matt gave a half-smile. "Thanks for listening to all my crap."

"Anytime." Mike said. Your crap is a lot more interesting than my crap."

"Shut up, Mike." Matt said jokingly.

"Yeah, we're here for you man." I said

Matt finally smiled. "I just realized something. My life may be crazy right now but at least I have you guys, my mom, and Santana."

Mike and I inconspicuously exchanged a knowing look. Mike and I both knew that Matt's relationship with Santana would just be another blow that Matt probably couldn't handle right now. I really wished I had listened to the little voice in my head and told Matt before now, but I didn't want to betray Santana. Now, I was pissed off at Santana for putting me in this position.

"I think I just need to relax." Matt said

I nodded.

"What better way to relax than at a party?" Mike asked.

Matt nodded as they both walked back into the living room to rejoin the glee party.

I stayed in the kitchen as my phone buzzed. I had a text from Mercedes.

_Sam, if this were a movie, you would be here right now._

I wanted to be there but seeing her walk onto the plane would have made it…final. I knew I was being selfish. Mercedes needed me. The problem was that I needed her and watching her actually leaving would be unbearable.

_Last night I heard my own heart beating  
>Sounded like footsteps on my stairs<br>__**Six months gone and I'm still reaching  
>Even though I know you're not there<strong>_

I leaned against the kitchen counter and sighed. I looked back up when I heard the door open. It was Quinn.

"How are doing, Sam?" Quinn said. "No one has said anything but we all know this is a hard day for you with Mercedes leaving."

"It was somewhat bearable until this last text from Mercedes." I said. "She wanted me to be there."

"I know." Quinn said standing next to me.

"You know?" I asked.

"Mercedes told me in one of our letter exchanges back in May. She hoped that you would show up today." Quinn said. "Honestly, I was surprised when you walked through that door. The, Sam Evans, I know is one of the few hopeless romantics left in this world. He would have been at the airport right now trying to win her back."

I scoffed. "Well, I guess you don't know me very well." I sighed. "I broke it off with her so she wouldn't resent me later."

Quinn shook her head. "I do know you. You're not acting like yourself." Quinn paused and looked directly at me. "Sam, you love Mercedes."

"Good job stating the obvious, Quinn." I said

Quinn continued, "You loved her enough to put her first and that is honorable, but it is also stupid. You're really living up to the blonde stereotype."

I looked at Quinn shocked. "Did you just call me stupid?"

"Yes. Sam, look at yourself. You're miserable." Quinn said. "And I know Mercedes is miserable without you. So why are you doing this?"

"I told you. I didn't want her to resent me."

Quinn sighed. "Do you think Mercedes would rather have a trip or her boyfriend?"

I sighed. "Me, but Quinn, it isn't that simple-"

"Yes, it is. Sam, you have to go to the airport and stop her from getting on that plane."

I laughed. "Funny Quinn."

"I'm serious." Quinn said looking forward now. "Sam, you never looked me the way that you look at her."

Confusion spread across my face. _Where was she going with this?_ "What are talking about, Quinn?"

"I saw it at junior prom." Quinn said reminiscing. "The way that you two danced like no one else was there. I saw it then."

"Saw what?" I asked

"You were falling in love with her." Quinn said

_I was playing back a thousand memories, baby  
>Thinking about everything we've been through<br>__**Maybe I've been going back too much lately**__  
><em>_**When time stood still and I had you**__  
><em>

"You and Mercedes fell in love almost instantly. It gave me hope that I could find that kind of love one day-" Quinn smiled. "And I did. Finn and I started dating a couple of weeks ago. It has been amazing."

"What about Rachel?" I asked

"They broke up three months ago. It was mutual. Finn said that they just weren't right for each other." Quinn said. "Finn moved back here about two months ago. We started talking and he asked me out."

"Congrats, I guess." I said.

"Finn looks at me like I'm special. You use to look at me the way that most guys looked at me, but when you look Mercedes…" Quinn seemed to be trying to find the right words. "Sam, when you look at her, you look…happy. Like nothing is wrong in this world when you see her. Sam, that is special and I'm not going to let you stay in this kitchen and lose that."

"I already lost it, Quinn." I said.

"No, you didn't. Mercedes hasn't left yet. You and only you can stop Mercedes from getting on that plane." Quinn said.

"How do you know?" I asked

"Because Mercedes looks at you in the exact same way." Quinn said. "And if you just said you're sorry for breaking it off, I bet Mercedes would welcome you back with open arms."

I straightened up and looked Quinn in the eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah." Quinn said softly. "Do you remember what you told me in high school?"

"Don't eat the cafeteria food. The food is just leftovers from last week." I guessed

Quinn chuckled. "Not that. You told me to hold on to sixteen as long as I could. Now, I'm telling you to hold on to love as long as you can. Go get her."

Quinn was right. I missed Mercedes with everything I had and I still loved as much as I did before. I didn't know why I was trying to fight anymore. I wanted her and after reading that last text, Mercedes still wanted me. At that moment, I decided I was going to get my girl back.

_Come back, come back, come back to me like  
>You would, you would if this was a movie<br>Stand in the rain outside  
>'Til I came out<em>

Quinn interrupted my thoughts. "Sam, I finally found Finn again and I am not letting him go." Quinn said. "I wouldn't be a good friend to you or Mercedes if I let you let her go." Quinn took the promise ring necklace off from around her neck. "Take this. I think its lucky. Maybe it will help."

I took the necklace and put it in my pocket. Then, I gave Quinn a hug. "Thank-you, Quinn." Finally, I walked out the door.

* * *

><p>I walked out the kitchen to see everyone talking, except Rachel, Matt, and Santana. Rachel was trying to comfort Matt, while Santana was looking out the window. No doubt for Brittany. Did anyone see anything wrong with that but me? I pushed the thought to the back of my head and walked toward the door.<p>

"I'm leaving!" I said

"Where are you going?" Blaine asked.

"I'm going to the airport to stop my girlfriend from leaving the country." I declared stopping in the living room doorway.

"Your girlfriend?" Kurt asked smiling.

"Yes. Mercedes is mine and I'm not letting her get away." I said walking out the door.

After closing the door, I ran into my car and put my key into the ignition. I heard the car sputter even louder than before. "Please! Please!" I said pleading with the car. "Don't do this now!"

I turned the key again and the car wouldn't start. I walked out and opened the hood of my engine. A cloud of smoke came out as I used my arms to fan the smoke away. I couldn't believe this was happening.

"Why are you still here?" Finn yelled from the door. I pointed to my engine and Finn ran over to the car. He looked around the engine and after a few minutes he deciphered the problem.

"Something is wrong with your carburetor." Finn said.

"Can you fix it?" I asked

Finn nodded. "I can, but I have to take it to Burt's shop now."

"I don't have time." I said. "Mercedes leaves in 30 minutes."

I sighed and walked around in a circle a few times before kicking my car tire in frustration. "Damn it!"

"Maybe I can fix it here." Finn said. "I'll see if Artie has some tools that I could use."

We both ran back into the house. Finn went to talk to Artie, while I was bombarded with questions.

"Still here guppy lips?" Santana asked

"Where is Mercedes?" Rachel asked.

"Why are you still here?" Kurt asked quickly. "Her flight leaves in thirty minutes _literally_!"

"My car broke down." I said angrily. "I cannot believe this is happening."

"I'll try calling Mercedes." Kurt said picking up the phone.

"I'll be fine, Sam." Blaine said. "We'll figure something out."

"I don't have any tools." I heard Artie tell Finn. My heart sank. I wasn't going to make it to the airport.

"Mercedes isn't answering her phone." Kurt said hanging up the phone.

"What do I do?" I asked absentmindedly

"Take the family car." Artie said grabbing the keys from the side table.

"Thank-you, Artie!" I said gratefully

Finn put his up his hand and Artie tossed the keys to him.

I looked at Finn confused. "What are you doing?"

"Did you think I was going to let you do this by yourself?" Finn asked. "No way, I'm driving you."

"I'm coming too." Matt said standing up from his spot next to Rachel.

Puck stood up too. "We all know it's not a party unless I'm there."

Mike walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "We got your back, Sam."

"Thanks guys, but we have to go now!" I said urgently walking toward the door. "I have to stop Mercedes from leaving the country!"

Matt, Finn, Puck, and I got into Artie's car. Finn drove off so fast that you heard the tires squeak.

* * *

><p><em>Come back, come back, come back to me like<br>You could, you could if you just said you're sorry  
>I know that we could work it out somehow<br>But if this was a movie you'd be here by now_

Traffic near the airport was insane. Cars were packed next to each other. It looked more like a parking lot than the highway. Finn could only move the car a couple of feet every couple seconds.

I tried calling Mercedes for the tenth time. It was more frustrating each time she didn't answer. "Mercedes isn't answering her phone."

"She may have bad service or turned her phone off for the flight." Matt said

I hit my leg in frustration. I looked at the clock and I was _not happy_ about the time. "20 minutes! Mercedes leaves in 20 minutes!" I said slightly frantic. "Finn, can you make this thing go any faster?"

"I'm trying! I can't move the cars in front of me!" Finn almost yelled. "The Bruce Springsteen concert is today and it is being held in the arena next to the airport. That's why the traffic is ridiculous."

"I think this is the first time that I ever disliked Bruce Springsteen." I said before checking my phone. "Mercedes hasn't responded to my texts, either."

"I think her phone is off." Mike said. "I just tried calling her and she didn't answer."

"Guys, what if she leaves before I can reach her?" I asked. The thought of that happening was too much to handle.

"She won't." Matt said. "We will get there in time, Sam."

I looked at the clock. "19 minutes."

"Counting down the time isn't going to help, Sam." Puck said

Ten minutes went by and we were stuck in traffic. I looked out the window. I could see the airport, but traffic was a stand still. We were so close yet so far. I dug with fingers into hair and rocked back and forth slightly. I was panicking.

"You're going to give yourself a heart attack, Sam." Puck said. "Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" I said "What if it was Lauren about to get a plane and leave you? How would you react right now?"

_I know people change and these things happen  
>But I remember how it was back then<br>Locked up in your arms and our friends were laughing  
><em>_**'Cause nothing like this ever happened to them  
><strong>_

Puck stared at me before letting a deep sigh go. "I would probably be worse than you."

I looked over at the clock. "9 minutes."

"Screw this." Finn said whipping the car out of the lane onto to the shoulder of the road.

"Finn! You can't drive in this lane!" Mike said as Finn picked up speed.

"Any better ideas? We have nine minutes and we weren't going to make it in time." Finn said. "Sam deserves a chance to stop 'Cedes from leaving."

I stared in disbelief at the intense look on Finn for a few moments before looking forward. If I had ever had any doubt about Finn's friendship, it was gone in that instant.

Within two minutes, Finn pulled up in front of the airport. "Guys, go! I'll park the car!"

Puck, Mike, Matt, and I ran into the airport and straight to the front desk.

The front desk attendant gave us a polite smile. "How may I help you, young men? Do you need tickets?"

I spoke up. "Listen, I don't need a ticket. I need to get to my girlfriend and stop her from leaving the country."

"Where is she?" The attendant asked.

"She is probably at her gate already." Puck said

The attendant gave an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I cannot let you all go through to the terminals without tickets."

"Please." I said pleading with her. "This girl is the girl of my dreams. I think about her every day and I cannot imagine my life without her anymore. I've been miserable without her. I just want the chance to tell her that before she jets off to London."

The attendant sighed and began typing at her computer. "I'm sorry, sir. I cannot help you." She said reaching for the printer next to her.

"But-" Mike stopped talking when she put four tickets on the counter in front of us.

"Oh my God. Thank-you!" I said

"Sorry, I couldn't help. Have a nice day." She said walking away

"Let's go!" I said grabbing the tickets.

"We have 7 minutes!" Matt said as we ran to the metal detectors.

The line was very short and I was thankful for that.

"We have to take our shoes and all metal jewelry off." Mike said reading the sign. "Just put everything in one container. It'll be faster."

We all threw our electronics, shoes, and everything metal into one bin. Matt went through the detector without a problem. Mike went through. Then I went through. However, when Puck went through, the metal detector went off.

"Seriously, Puck?" I said

The guard came over and told Puck to spread his legs. The guard waved the metal detector wand over Puck. The wand went off when the guard waved it in front of Puck's chest.

The guard gave him a confused look.

Puck shrugged his shoulders. "What? I have piercings!"

The guard rolled his eyes and continued to wave the wand. Then Puck said, "Just leave me! Go!"

I reached for my shoes, but another guard came over to stop me.

"Don't touch the bin." The guard said

I asked the guard, "Why can't I put my shoes on?"

"The contents of this container cannot be touched until all of its owners have been cleared by security." The guard tilted his head toward Puck.

"Since when is that a rule?" Matt asked

"It's new. You have to wait."

"I'm sorry. I can't." I started to run to the gates. I heard Matt and Mike follow.

"Hey! Come back here!" I heard the guard yell. We ignored the guard and kept running. There wasn't enough time.

After about one minute, we hear over the intercom, _"Security, there are three shoeless males running through the airport. They are one White male, one Black male, and one Asian male. Detain them."_

"Oh God, we're going to jail!" Mike said still running. "My parents are not going to be happy about this!"

"Focus, Mike!" Matt said. "We're too close to miss her now."

"Look!" I said pointing to the signs for London. We stopped in front of the signs. I read the sign for directions, but noticed there were two flights to London. "Damn it, which flight is Mercedes on?"

"I'll check the second flight!" Mike said running left. "You two check the first one!"

Matt and I ran right.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Now, I'm pacing down the hall, chasing down your street<strong>__  
>Flashback to the night when you said to me<br>Nothing's gonna change, not for me and you  
><em>_**Not before I knew how much I had to lose**__  
><em>

Matt and I continued to run down the wide hall, trying to find Mercedes before it was too late. We stopped when I finally saw the sign for the gate for London. According to the sign, it was the last gate on the right row. I looked down the hall and saw it. We weren't even halfway down the hall yet. I started to run again and Matt followed. I pointed the gate out to Matt who was about two feet behind me trying to keep up. He nodded, while we picked up speed.

"Hey, you two!" A security guard yelled. "Stop right now!"

I saw the guard out the corner of my eye. He was running toward us with his hand extended forward yelling 'stop' repeatedly. I glanced at the clock. I literally had one minute before Mercedes would be gone from me for six months. Maybe forever if something happened in the next six months to make her forget about me. After that realization, I knew the only reason I would stop running was if that guard tackled me down.

"Sam!" Matt yelled as he ran up next to me. "He can only catch one of us! Keep running!"

"What are you talking-?" I asked. Before I could finish the question, Matt was running toward the guard. The guard gripped Matt by the arm. I looked back briefly and Matt yelled 'Keep running! You only have- _ahhhhhh!_" The guard had pushed Matt down on his knees. _I owed him big. _I started to run faster than I ever had before. I had to.

I only had seconds.

I was almost there but there was a huge crowd in front of the second to last gate. Apparently, the Bruce Springsteen concert was being played live on television. Almost everyone from five gates tried to crowd around one television. The crowd spanned across the entire hall. There literally had to be at least one hundred people and everyone was squeezed together. The only way to the last gate was to go through the crowd. I tried to fight my way through the crowd but it was thick. I repeatedly said 'excuse, me' as I pushed by people. Pushing my way through the middle of the crowd, I looked up to the last gate. I couldn't believe my eyes. I saw her.

Mercedes wasn't on the plane yet.

She was still standing alone in an empty gate. The boarding sign was flashing behind her. I kept trying to make my way through the crowd but I never took my eyes off her. Mercedes was looking around as if she was looking for something. She looked so sad. I saw her sigh and grab the heart-shaped locket of the necklace that I had given her. Mercedes opened the locket and smiled.

Then I realized Mercedes wasn't looking for something. She was looking for me. Mercedes was waiting for me.

_Come back, come back, come back to me like  
>You would, you would if this was a movie<br>Stand in the rain outside  
>'Til I came out<em>

I wanted her to see me. I wanted to give her the movie ending. I wanted to stop her from boarding on that plane. I wanted to tell her I was an idiot for breaking up with her. I wanted her to come back to me, but I _needed_ just twenty more seconds to reach her.

_Come back, come back, __**come back to me like**__  
>You could, you could if you just said sorry<br>I know that we could work it out somehow  
>But <em>_**if this was a movie you'd be here by now**_

"Mercedes! Mercedes!" I yelled her name at the top lungs repeatedly. It was like a bad dream. I called for her but she couldn't hear me. The cheering from the crowd was too loud. It was so frustrating. I wasn't even fifty feet away and she couldn't hear me.

I saw an attendant place a hand on Mercedes' shoulder. The attendant pointed to the plane entrance and then to the boarding sign. Mercedes nodded and picked up her bag. She started to walk over to the entrance to board the plane.

_If you're out there, if you're somewhere, if you're moving on  
><em>_**I've been waiting for you ever since you've been gone  
>I just want it back the way it was before<strong>__  
>And I just wanna see you back at my front door<em>

All previous manners were dropped. I was pushing roughly through the crowd trying to get there as fast as I could. I yelled 'Mercedes!' again and she looked back. Mercedes glanced all around her and then shrugged her shoulders. I yelled her name again, but she kept walking. Mercedes started to the boarding entrance.

I finally got out of the crowd and ran to the entrance that Mercedes had just entered.

The attendant stretched out her hand to stop me. "Can I have your boarding pass?"

I passed her the paperwork that I had gotten from the front desk. "Sir, you are at the wrong flight to London. If you go back that way and make a left-"

"I don't want to go to London. My girlfriend is on that plane and I need to stop her from leaving!"

_And I say come back, come back, come back to me like  
>You would before you said it's not that easy<br>__**Before the fight, before I locked you out  
>But I'd take it all back now<strong>_

The attendant gave an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, sir, you cannot go back there without a proper boarding pass."

'Mercedes!' I yelled into the entrance. The only thing I heard was the echo of my own voice. I couldn't believe I had missed her by _seconds_. It was a sobering realization. My shoulders dropped and I let go of a deep breath that I had been holding since I saw her standing at the gate. Then I sharply inhaled the breath back when I heard my name. Mercedes had yelled 'Sam' back.

_Come back, come back, come back to me like  
>You would, you would if this was a movie<br>Stand in the rain outside  
>'Til I came out<em>

_Come back, come back, come back to me like_  
><em>You could, you could if you just said you're sorry<em>  
><em>I know that we could work it out somehow<em>  
><em>But if this was a movie you'd be here by now<em>

"Did you hear that?" I asked the attendant. "She called back. She wants to speak to me. Can you let me on?"

The attendant shook her head. "Sir, I heard it. I wish I could let you on, but the door to the plane has closed. Now, no one can get on or off the plane. I am so sorry."

_I thought you'd be here by now  
>It's not the kind of ending you wanna see now<br>Baby, what about the ending?  
>Oh, I thought you'd be here by now<em>

I stood there heartbroken. Truly heartbroken. I felt like my heart had broken in half and sunk to the bottom of my stomach. Honestly, the only thing I wanted to do was run away, crawl under a rock, and cry. But my legs betrayed me. I took only few steps backwards before crashing down into one of the chairs. I sat there for awhile, kicking myself for not getting there sooner. My eyes stung with tears I wouldn't let dare fall. About fifteen minutes had passed, before the attendant informed me that the plane was taking off. I nodded but I really didn't want to know that. I felt like the loneliest person in the world at that moment. I didn't even notice when Mike, Matt, and Puck walked over to me.

"Where is Mercedes?" Mike asked

"Yeah, where is hot mama?" Puck asked

I looked over to the window to see the plane ascending into the sky. I shook my head and grudgingly pointed to the plane. "Mercedes is on that plane. I didn't make it here in time."

I brought my hand back down and looked down at both of my hands. We were all stayed there in silence for awhile. No one said anything. _What could be said? _Soon the silence was filled the sounds of the ascending plane outside. Finally, Matt broke the silence and summed up the mood with one word.

"Damn." Matt said in disbelief.

"I really thought you would make it." Mike said opening his phone. "This explains why Mercedes didn't return our texts or calls. My phone has no service in this part of the airport. I doubt she had service either."

"Come on, Sam." Puck said patting me on the shoulder. "We're not going to let you sit here in self-pity."

Mike nodded in agreement, before handing me my shoes. I had forgotten that I was shoeless. "Security didn't arrest us after we explained the situation."

"Security was initially called because apparently it is against the rules to walk around the airport shoeless." Matt said.

* * *

><p>We walked back through the airport. After dropping off the unused tickets back at the front desk, we made our way back to Finn's car.<p>

Finn got out the car when he saw us. "Where is 'Cedes? Did she say no?"

"I didn't make it in time." I said dejectedly

Finn leaned back against as if he was disappointed too. "I'm sorry, Sam."

"Yeah, well me too." I said before I shook my head and got into the first passenger seat. Finn got in the driver's seat and everyone else got in the back seat. The first half of the car ride was mostly spent in silence until I felt Finn put his hand on my shoulder.

"You have us, Sam." Finn said giving a small shrug. He pulled his hand away. I knew that Finn didn't know what to say most of the time. It sounded like a consolation prize, but I knew he meant well.

"Thanks." I said

"It'll get better." Matt said

Matt was wrong. I didn't think I would ever feel better. My heart was broken and the only person who could fix it was on her way to London. I took out my cell phone and sent her a final text. Hopefully, Mercedes would get it when she landed.

"I think I hate airports, now." I said

"Sam." Mike said softly

"Yeah, Mike." I ready didn't want to talk or be consoled but I knew that wouldn't stop them from trying.

"You're my best friend and Finn is right. You have us and we will help you through this." Mike said. "Do you know the song 'Count on Me' by Bruno Mars?"

"Don't sing-"

Mike ignored me and started singing,

_If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea,  
>I'll sail the world to find you<br>If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see,  
>I'll be the light to guide you<br>Find out what we're made of  
><em>_**When we are called to help our friends in need**_

Puck followed his lead and sang the next part,

_You can count on me like 1 2 3  
>I'll be there<br>And I know when I need it I can count on you like 4 3 2  
>You'll be there<br>Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah_

Matt, Finn, Mike, and Puck all re-sang the chorus,

_You can count on me like 1 2 3  
>I'll be there<br>And I know when I need it I can count on you like 4 3 2  
>You'll be there<br>Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah_

I let out a small laugh. I had some of best friends that anyone could ask for. How many people would run through an airport to help a friend out?

"Thanks, guys. Really." I said.

* * *

><p>I looked over to Mark and Heather. Mark was looking at his hands, while Heather had a sad expression on her face.<p>

"Damn." Mark said in a sad tone. "I thought you were going to make it."

"Exactly." Heather also said sadly. "Mark?"

"Yeah, Heather."

"Swear Jar."

Mark groaned and handed Heather a one dollar bill from his pocket. "Just take it."

"Hello Kitty isn't cheap." Heather said. "Mark?"

"What?"

"Are you Matt's brother?" Heather asked.

"Yeah. I didn't know that he actually cared about me in the beginning." Mark said

Heather turned her attention to me. "I'm sorry that you didn't make it in time, Dad." Heather paused, and then a wide smile spread across her face. "But if Mercedes is my mom that means you see her again right?"

I gave a half-smile. "We'll see."

"I guess you didn't get the movie ending that time, Dad." Heather said sadly.

"You're right. I didn't get the movie ending, but I got the ending that was supposed to happen." I said

"What do you mean?" Mark asked

"I mean I wasn't meant to stop Mercedes that day. There were way too many obstacles. Think about everything that went wrong that day. My car broke down, there was concert traffic, Puck got stopped by security, there were two flights to London, there was a crowd blocking me, and Mercedes was standing in an area with no phone reception. It was unreal." I said sighing. "I think about that day sometimes. It just wasn't meant to happen.

Mark scoffed. "There is no such thing as fate or God." He said coldly. "You didn't make it because you ran out of time."

I shook my head. "I disagree with you. Mercedes had to go to London. If I had stopped her, a series of events, which made her who she is today, would have never taken place.

If I had stopped Mercedes, she would have never gone to London.

If I had stopped Mercedes, she would have never made a group of friends that took her to a karaoke pub one summer night in July.

If I had stopped Mercedes, she would have never sang in front of a crowd at the karaoke pub.

If I had stopped Mercedes, she would have never met Alicia Keys who happened to be sitting in the back row.

If I had stopped Mercedes, Alicia Keys would have never introduced her to Clive Davis, who gave Mercedes a recording contract.

If I had stopped Mercedes from going to London, she might have missed her big break.


	23. Chapter 22: Drops of Jupiter

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review! Please forgive any grammatical errors.

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

Author's Note: Happy New Year! Thank-you all for all the reviews! The response to the last chapter was amazing. You really made my week. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.

* * *

><p>"Big Break?" Heather asked leaning back into the couch. Her eyes darted back and forth aimlessly as if she mentally piecing something together.<p>

"Umm...is she okay?" Mark asked

"Give her a minute." I said

After a few moments, Heather figured it out. "Mercedes is the famous singer." Heather looked at me in disbelief. "Dad! How could you have not told me about this! This is major! I have her on my ipod!" Heather began to rapidly write down something in notebook.

"I knew you would figure it out on your own." I said standing up and walking toward the hall.

"Where are you going?" Heather asked.

"I want to show you something." I said. I walked into my room and opened my closet. I pulled down a dust covered box from the top shelf. I had not opened this box in years, but it finally the time to show Heather. I walked back into the living room. I sat down before putting the box on the living room table.

"What is that?" Heather asked curiously

"This is a box of things I kept from my young adult years." I said opening the box. "Another rule, Heather. I can only show you certain things so the ending isn't given away."

Heather nodded. "Open it. What's in it?"

I reached inside the box and grabbed a stack of papers from it. I held them up for Heather and Mark to see. "Quinn Letters."

Heather's eyes bulged. "Clues! I can read them?"

"Not yet." I said reaching back into the box. I pulled out a cd. "Mercedes' first cd."

"Can I listen?" Heather asked quickly.

"Let me think about."

Heather looked into the box. "What is in this smaller shoe box?"

"You are absolutely not allowed to open that box until you know the ending."

Heather nodded before looking back into the box.

"What are these DVDs for?" Heather asked. She grabbed them and read the titles on them. "Heather's first steps…Heather crawling…Heather sleeping…what are these?"

"These DVDs are the results of camera-obsessed parents. You can watch them afterwards." Heather nodded before reaching in the box. She grabbed a stack of pictures. The top picture was of me and Santana.

"I've seen her somewhere before…" Heather said. Heather stared hard at the picture trying to remember where she had seen Santana.

"You definitely have." Mark said while sending a text.

"Where?" Heather asked.

"It wouldn't be a mystery if I told you, would it?" Mark said putting his phone away.

Heather rolled her eyes. "You've just be demoted from pretend brother to cousin."

"Ouch. That really hurts." Mark said sarcastically.

Heather turned her attention back to me. "Dad, when was this picture taken?"

"My sophomore year in college." I said. "Actually, the next part of the story takes place during my sophomore year…"

* * *

><p>During the summer after Mercedes left, I did actually start to feel somewhat better. Puck, Mike, and Finn made sure of it. One of them was always over at my house making sure that I wasn't sulking in self-pity or sadness.<p>

Even though, I was feeling better, it didn't mean that I didn't miss her like crazy.

And I really didn't start to feel like myself again until football started up. I was able to focus all of my energy into football and it payed off. Since last football season, my name had been tossed around a lot on sport channels, like ESPN. My name had been mentioned as a prime draft pick. Some sports commentors were actually predicting me to go in the top five, since there were quite a few teams in need of quarterbacks.

It was rumored that the Tennessee Titans really wanted me. They had traded two players for the number one first round draft pick from the Oakland Raiders. Even though there was talk on TV, I still hadn't been approached by any NFL teams. I figured the media were creating something that wasn't really true.

* * *

><p>It was November of my sophomore year in college.<p>

Matt and I were jogging around the field, which was something we always did after practice.

"Guess what, Sam." Matt said excitedly.

I looked over to Matt. He had an extremely wide smile on his face. Whatever had him this excited must be good.

"What is it?"

"There is a rumor going around that the Cleveland Brown representatives have been around." Matt said. "They are looking for a kicker. I heard that they were checking out my stats."

"That's great!" I said.

"You know this." Matt said excitedly. "Maybe we'll both play in NFL."

"I don't know. Maybe not for me, I haven't heard anything-

"Are you kidding me, Sam?" Matt asked. "I was watching ESPN this morning, and they were calling you the draft's 'golden boy'."

I laughed. "Great. A hair pun." I said adjusting the ipod earbud in my ear since I felt it becoming loose.

"Sam, what are you listening to?" Matt asked grabbing the free bud. "You keep smiling and my jokes aren't that funny."

"It's nothing…" I said but Matt listened anyway.

He dropped the bud and looked at me in disbelief. "I never pictured you as a masochist. Why are you listening to Mercedes' song? Don't you already hear it enough on the radio? That can't be healthy."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Honestly, I don't know why I do it to myself."

Matt shook his head. "Let's talk about something else."

* * *

><p>Matt and I talked as we finished our final two laps. Matt stayed on the field to talk with some of our teammates. I headed to the locker room to shower and change.<p>

When I entered the locker room, I heard some inside. I walked further in and saw Adam at my locker.

"What's up, Adam?" I asked walking toward him. For some reason, Adam was startled by presence. Adam eyes bulged and he jumped when he saw me. He threw something in my locker and slammed the door.

"Shit, Sam. Why are you sneaking up on me?" Adam asked

"I wasn't-"

"What are you doing here?" Adam asked nervously. "Practice isn't over yet."

"Yes, it is. Practice was actually over a while." I said reaching for my locker door. Adam covered the door handle with his hand.

"What's wrong with you, Adam? Why are you so jumpy?" I asked.

"Go away, Sam." Adam said. "It would be for the best if you left right now."

"No. I need to get into _my locker_. Take your hand off the handle."

Adam shook his head and stood his ground in front of the locker. "Go away, Sam."

"Is this a joke?" I asked. "Let me get my clothes."

"If I give you the clothes, will you go away?" Adam asked.

I stared at Adam. I was truly surprised by the way he was acting. I had known him for a year and most of the time he was a happy, laid back guy. The intensity and fear that was radiating from Adam now, worried me. "What is in that locker that you don't want me to see?" I asked.

"As your friend, Sam, I'm telling you that you don't want to know."

I was tired of this back and forth. I wanted to get into my locker now. "Sorry about this." I said before shoving Adam off my locker. I opened my locker. Adam stumbled back a few steps.

"Sam, stop!" Adam yelled but it was too late.

I stared into my locker and I couldn't believe what I saw. I looked at the top shelf of my locker, where Adam usually put his stuff. There was a vial filled with liquid and a syringe.

"Adam." I said in disbelief. "Are you taking steroids?"

"I-I need them." Adam stammered. "I'm on a football scholarship and they threatened to drop me from the team if I didn't perform better."

I couldn't believe there were illegal drugs sitting in my locker. I felt my face get hot and my heart beat increase. The fury building inside me was rapid and strong. "You put steroids in my locker-"

"Sam, please, try to understand-"

"You put steroids in my locker!" I yelled furiously. "How could you do that to me? What if they had locker checks? It wouldn't be yours, but my ass that would have been kicked out!"

I immediately regretted yelling when I heard footsteps walking toward us.

"What is this I heard about steroids?" Coach Sullivan said walking in the locker room.

Coach Sullivan gave us both a stern look. I looked over to Adam and he was scared.

"No one is talking, huh?" Coach Sullivan said walking toward us. He looked in my locker and then looked at both of us. "Whose locker is this?"

I clenched my jaw. "Coach-"

"The locker belongs to Sam." Adam said quickly. "Everything in that locker belongs to Sam."

I looked over at Adam in disbelief. He had thrown me under the bus in less than one minute. I couldn't believe that he had betrayed me. "You're a damn liar."

"This isn't your locker, Sam?" Coach Sullivan asked

"It is but-"

"Then everything in this locker belongs to you. There are no buts. We need to talk now." Coach Sullivan said walking.

I sighed and started to follow, but Adam grabbed my arm.

I snatched my arm away. "Don't touch me. Don't talk to me."

Adam whispered low so that only I could hear. "Please, Sam let me explain."

I glared at him and Adam flinched. But Adam continued anyway. "When I graduated high school, I promised myself that I would never go back to my father's house. I would never let him put his hands on me again. I can't go back. I won't go back. I'm sorry but I had to blame you. I'm sorry-"

"Save your sorrys. They only make you feel better." I said coldly. "They mean nothing to me."

"Sam-"

"You may have just cost me my football and college career." I said furiously. "I'm here on scholarship too."

"Sam, please understand. I can't go back there. Sam, you're one of the only real friends I have-"

"Then why weren't you my friend thirty seconds ago?"

"Sam, please-"

"Don't talk to me. You're dead to me." I said walking away. I knew it was cold but I was furious with him. Adam had blamed me to save himself. I couldn't forgive him yet. The betrayal was too fresh.

I walked over to Coach Sullivan and Adam walked out of the locker room.

"Coach, I swear that those steroids aren't mine!" I said immediately. "You can test me now! There is nothing in my system."

"I know those steroids aren't yours, Evans." Coach said. "But they are in your locker so I have no choice."

"No choice?" I asked.

"Evans, you're suspended from football activities pending further investigation. Don't come to practice this week and you're not playing in the game on Saturday." Coach Sullivan said.

I couldn't believe it. "That's not fair-"

"Don't fight it, Evans. It won't change anything." Coach sighed. "Meet me in my office in about three hours."

I nodded as Coach Sullivan walked away. I sat down on the bench trying to let everything that had happened in the last three minutes sink in.

* * *

><p>After showering and changing my clothes, I walked back to the dorm buildings. I was about to get on the elevator, but I heard someone call my name. I turned around and saw Matt down the hall.<p>

"Hey, Sam!" Matt yelled. "Come to the common room! There is still some pizza down here."

I really didn't want to socialize, but I figured sulking in my room wouldn't do me any good.

I walked down the hall and turned into the common room. The only people in the room were Mike, Matt, and Santana.

"Hey guys." I said

"Hey, man." Mike said

Matt nodded while taking a bite of pizza.

"What's up, Trouty?" Santana said.

I flopped down on the couch next to Mike. "I've had better days."

"What happened?" Mike asked

"You look like someone just stole your puppy." Matt said

I sighed. "I've been suspended from football."

All three of them snapped their heads to me in disbelief.

"What the hell happened?" Mike asked

"You can't be suspended now!" Matt said. "We need you! We play Michigan on Saturday!"

"I know." I said angrily. "I'm pissed off that I have to miss that game."

"What happened?" Santana asked.

"Adam is taking steroids, but apperently he has been putting them in my locker behind his things." I said. I explained everything that had happened in the last hour and they listened intently. "As far as I'm concerned, Adam doesn't exist."

"Harsh, but warranted." Matt said. "I can't believe Adam would do that."

"Did your Coach say what he wanted to talk about?" Mike asked

I shook my head. "I'm going to find out in a couple hours. You know, the worst thing is when everyone finds. People are going to notice that I'm not playing in Saturday's game and the school will probably say why. I can kiss my NFL dreams goodbye."

"Maybe things will work, Sam." Mike said.

"How?" I asked throwing my arms up in disbelief. "How could this situation possibly get any better?"

"I don't see how." Santana said grabbing a piece of pizza. "You're pretty much screwed."

"Thank-you, Tana." I said sarcastically. "Thank you for putting everything in perspective."

"I was trying to lighten the mood." Santana said placing her hand on my shoulder. "Everything will work out."

I shook my head. "I can only imagine the story that will be on the sports channels." I did my best announcer voice. "'Golden boy' draft pick shoots up steroids."

"Try to be optimistic. I think everything will be okay, Sam." Matt said. "Coach Sullivan favors you. He'll have your back."

"Yeah, and-" Santana was about to say something. Instead she took her hand off my shoulder and covered her mouth with it. Santana looked a little sick.

"Are you okay, babe?" Matt asked rubbing her back.

Santana nodded and put her hand down. "I felt a little nauseous. How old is this damn pizza?" She said throwing her slice back in the box.

Matt shrugged his shoulders. "It was free food. I don't ask any questions."

"Ewww." Mike said putting his slice back.

"What!" Matt said. "It was left over from the chess club this afternoon. It isn't old."

I laughed. "Thanks. I needed that laugh."

* * *

><p>Two hours later, I did what was asked of me. I met Coach in his office. I opened his door and saw Coach sitting at his desk. "You wanted to see me, Coach."<p>

"Sit down, Evans."

I walked over and sat in the chair across from his desk. I sat there for a few minutes but nothing was said. I looked over at Coach who was writing something in his playbook. Then I averted my gaze to the trophies on the wall.

I couldn't take the silence. My nerves were getting the best of me. All I kept thinking was _'Why am I here?' 'Is he going to kick me off the team?' 'Was I expelled?'_ I wanted to plead my innocence, but I wasn't sure if he would hear me out. I looked back to him and he was still writing in his book. His face was expressionless. I decided to talk first,

"Coach, about the steroids-"

"You are a very talented player, Evans." Coach said without looking at me. He kept his gaze on his book and his pen hadn't broken contact with the page. "The type of talent that the Ohio State athletics department would love to say it produced."

"Thank-you, sir."

Coach Sullivan stopped writing in book and closed it firmly on his desk. He moved his chair further into his desk. Coach looked me in eyes. It was a bit unnerving but I kept the eye contact.

"Did you call me in here to tell me I was a good player?"

"No, but that is what I told the athletic director in order to convince him to overook this incident."

"Overlook?"

"Listen, Evans, I'm going to stop beating around the bush." Coach said. "A lot of NFL teams have been asking about you, boy."

I nodded. "I heard."

"Evans, I know the steroids belonged to Adam. That boy has grown faster than the weeds in my wife's garden." Coach said. "But the steroids are in your locker, so you are responsible."

I sighed. "Coach, I really want to play in the game on Saturday."

"I want you to play, too." Coach said. "I don't want to put O'Reilly in. Even when he was first string, his throwing accuracy was poor."

Coach walked over to his side table. He rummaged through it before pulling out injury tape. He sat back down and put the tape on the desk.

"What is this for?" I asked.

"You're still suspended, but I was able to pull a couple strings. The steroids incident will not be reported outside the athletic department." Coach pointed to the injury tape on the desk. "Listen. You're going to wrap your wrist. You were injured today in practice. It is just a minor sprain, but it was best that you not play in the game. No one will know about the suspension." Coach said.

I breathed a deep sigh of relief. Coach was covering for me and I was so grateful for it. "Thank you, Coach."

"Evans, you are a rarity. You have the arm, accuracy and precision of some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. But what makes you special is that you're fast. You're faster than most wide receivers. It would be a crime if you were robbed of the chance to showcase your talents."

"This means a lot, Coach. I don't know how I can thank you."

"Don't mention it." Coach said. "Seriously, don't mention this to anyone. This cannot get out."

"Umm….I told Matt and two of my other friends, but they can keep a secret."

"Good. Have a nice day, Evans." Coach picked up his playbook and resumed his writing. I walked out of his office with the tape thankful that my NFL dreams still had a chance.

* * *

><p>It was January. The Ohio State Football team had won the championship. We won 27-24. It was a close game. When Matt kicked the winning field goal, the crowd erupted. The crowd even ran onto the field to celebrate with the team.<p>

After everything calmed down, I was given the MVP award. It was one of the most memorable moments of my life.

My family and I went out to dinner to celebrate the next day.

"My boy!" My dad said proudly wrapping his arms over my shoulders.

"We're so proud of you, Sam." My mom said before taking a bite of her pasta.

"Sam, can you do me a favor?" An almost-teenaged Stevie asked.

"What?" I asked

"Don't let the game be so down to the wire next time." Stevie said. "I literally bite off all my fingernails watching that game."

"Then he screamed like a girl when you won." Stacy said

Everyone laughed while Stevie blushed. "What? My voice is changing." Stevie said defensively. "And I was excited."

The waitress walked over to the table while my family was still trying to calm down from our fit of laughter. "Wow. Everyone seems to be having a good time." The waitress said pulling out her order note pad from her waist apron. "Does anyone want dessert?"

Stacy and Stevie eagerly nodded their heads. My dad laughed, "Go ahead. Order."

"I want chocolate ice cream." Stacy said quickly.

"And I want strawberry shortcake." Stevie said.

"Chocolate ice cream and strawberry shortcake." The waitress said writing down the order. "Anyone else?"

My dad, mom, and I shook our heads and the waitress walked off.

"Why strawberry shortcake?" My mom asked Stevie.

"I love strawberry shortcake, but I haven't had it in long time. Ever since Mercedes…" Stevie let the sentence trail off unfinished. He looked at me immediately and winced almost in an apologetic way.

When we were together and she was in town, Mercedes had always tried to make a strawberry shortcake for Stevie. Stevie had been very fond of the dessert ever since I brought it home after the 'locker apology' between Mercedes and me during our junior year in high school.

I saw Stacy hit Stevie in arm and say a quick 'idiot.'

"Don't call your brother names, Stacy." My dad said

"Stevie shouldn't have said her name." Stacy said. "Sammy gets sad."

"I'm fine, guys." I said. "You can say her name. She existed! I don't want you guys walking on eggshells. Now, let's talk about something else."

* * *

><p>We got home around 7 pm. I had decided to go to bed early, but my parents made me stay up.<p>

"Don't go to bed so early, Sam." My dad insisted. "Hang out with us."

"Hang out? Who are you and what have you done with my parents?" I asked

"Stay up a little bit longer, Sam." My mom said patting the seat next to her. "Trust me."

They were acting suspicious, but I shrugged it off and sat next to them on the couch. After about fifteen minutes of watching _Modern Family_, the door bell rang.

"Can you get the door, Sam?" My mom asked. "I think its for you."

"How do you know?"

My mom shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention back to the tv.

I walked over to the door and opened it to see Kurt and Blaine who were having a whispering argument.

"My idea is better!" I heard Kurt said before they both noticed me.

"Hey, guys." I said. "What are you doing in Cleveland?"

"You're coming with us." Blaine said

"And we're not taking no for an answer." Kurt said

"Okay…where are we going?" I asked

They both answered in unison, but the answers were different. Blaine said 'bowling' and Kurt said 'movies'. Kurt winced at the disorganized answers while Blaine said '_I thought we were going with my idea_.'

I laughed. "Can you guys at least get your lie straight? I said. "Where are we really going?"

"You'll see." Blaine said

* * *

><p>I was in the back of Kurt's car. Kurt was in the front passenger seat and Blaine was driving. Kurt and Blaine had forced me to put a blind fold before we drove off.<p>

"Are you guys kidnapping me?" I asked. We had been driving for about an hour and a half and I was wondering where we were going.

"If you leave with us voluntarily, then it isn't kidnapping." Kurt said

"True…but can I at least get a clue?" I asked

"Nope." Blaine said

"Come on guys. Don't leave me in the dark. Literally!" I said pointing to the blindfold on my face. "Can you tell me if I will at least like this surprise?"

"Yes." Blaine said. "But I have already said too much."

I laughed. "Whatever I'm taking a nap."

* * *

><p>"Sam, Sam, Sam-" I heard someone say as the person tugged my arm. "Get up."<p>

"Five more minutes…" I mumbled half-asleep while swatting away the hand off my arm. Then I heard a '_Blaine, move over' _before

"Sam Evans, wake up!" Kurt yelled.

I sat straight up. They would have seen the dazed look in my eyes if they weren't covered by the blindfold. "Why are you yelling, Kurt?"

"I had to because you weren't responding to Blaine's 'indoor door voice' method." Kurt said "We're here."

"Can I take the blindfold off?" I said excitedly

"Sure."

I took the blindfold off and was confused by our location. "Kurt, why are we at your house?"

Blaine shrugged his shoulders as he and Kurt got out the car.

"You know, this secrecy thing is getting old." I said getting out the car. I followed them to the front door.

"Get in front of us, Sam and ring the doorbell." Blaine said. I eyed them suspiciously but did as I was told. I rang the doorbell and the door opened to a pitch black house.

"I don't like this." I said.

"Walk in, Sam." Kurt said

I walked in. Suddenly, all the lights came on and I heard roaring 'surprise!' I looked around and all the glee members were all in various hiding places in the hallway and living room. I looked up and saw a banner that said 'Congrats, MVP!'

"Wow, guys." I said looking around at everyone. "Thanks. This is amazing."

"You're welcome." Santana said smugly before drinking from her can soda.

Rachel scoffed, "Don't listen to her. She didn't plan anything." Rachel walked over to me and grabbed me by the hand. "Sam, you'll love it! I have the entire evening planned with party games. First, I have charades planned at 9:30 pm and then-"

There was a united group groan at Rachel's plans.

"No one wants to play charades, hobbit!" Santana said.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "None of you appreciate good party planning."

Then Matt placed a hand on Rachel's shoulder. "Rach, why don't we all just see how the night pans out? If the party slows down, then we'll put you in charge." He gave her a half-smile.

Rachel smiled. "At least someone besides me has a good idea."

"I can't believe everyone is here!" I said looking at everyone. Then I frowned when I noticed someone important was missing. "Well, almost everyone."

"Mercedes couldn't make it." Blaine said picking up on my disappointment.

"Sorry, Sam-" Mike began to say but I cut him off.

"I'm here to party. I'm not here for sorrys." I said.

"Well, it's not a party, until we're partially wasted." Puck said. "Finn, where is the alcohol?"

* * *

><p>We moved the furniture around, so there was enough room for us to sit in a big circle. We decided to play a game of truth, dare, or shot. The game title was self-explanatory, but basically it was the traditional truth or dare game. However, if you didn't complete the truth or dare, you had to take a shot. Matt was the first victim.<p>

"Okay, truth or dare, Matt." Mike said

Matt rubbed the back of his neck before saying, "Truth."

Finn and Puck booed Matt in unison.

"Truth is a punk move, Matt." Puck said

"Shut up, Puck." Matt said. "What is the question, Mike?"

Mike looked off to side as if he was trying to think of a good question. Then Mike smirked. "Which glee girl did you have a crush on first?"

Santana laughed. "Well, obviously-"

"Rachel." Matt said firmly. "I had a crush on her freshman year."

"Excuse me?" Santana asked as if he had just insulted her. "You liked hobbit with the weird sweaters?"

Matt shrugged. "I always thought her sweaters were adorable." Matt admitted.

Everyone looked at Rachel who was blushing. Rachel smiled looking down. She tucked a piece behind her hair before saying, "That's sweet, Matt."

"Okay, let's move on." Tina said. "Whose turn-"

"Rachel! Really?" Santana asked Matt. She was still upset over his answer.

"Santana, calm down." Matt said moving next to her. "You're the only girl I have serious feelings for." He kissed her cheek.

I rolled my eyes. It was insane how possessive Santana was over Matt lately. He was only an ego-boost to her. I looked over to Rachel and was surprised to see disappointment in her eyes as she looked at Matt and Santana.

"Whose turn is it?" Artie asked.

The door bell rang.

"I'll get it." A pregnant Lauren said getting up and walking to the door. A few seconds later, Lauren walked back into the room with Brittany. Santana moved away quickly from Matt. Matt noticed and looked at Santana perplexed.

"Look at what the cat dragged in!" Quinn said.

Brittany looked around the room. "Lord Tubbington is here?"

"No, Brit. It is just an expression." Quinn said. "Come on and sit down! We're playing a game."

* * *

><p>We played a couple of rounds. It was fun. We learned things about each other from the truths. There were interesting some dares including Finn singing 'I Feel Pretty' on a dare from Rachel.<p>

Puck was surprising. For someone who was booing Matt earlier, Puck refused to do anything. As a result, Puck always chose shot. He was good and drunk at this point.

Before I knew it, it was my turn again.

"Truth or dare, Sam." Kurt said

"Truth." I said

"Is that your hair color natural?"

"Give me a shot." I said. I wasn't going to answer that question. Finn passed a shot over to me. I drank it.

"Is this whiskey?" I asked examining my cup.

"It's all we have." Finn said

"Shouldn't you know, Trouty?" Santana asked. "Isn't whiskey the beverage of choice among your people?"

"My people?"

"You know, country folk...hillbillies…take your pick." Santana said

"Nashville is a city, not the backwoods." I said slightly offended. "Whose turn is it?"

"Mine and truth." Lauren said. "Make it easy, Sam. Obviously, I can't drink."

"Okay. Ummm…" I said drumming my fingers against my knee. "I got it. What in the world made you attracted to Puck?"

Puck shot me a look. "Jerk."

Lauren smiled and looked over to Puck. "He has a good heart. The happiest day in my life was when we both said I do."

Lauren and Puck had gotten in engaged in the summer, before quickly getting married in the fall.

Puck smiled and placed his hand on Lauren's belly. "I can't wait to meet the baby." In a few months, Puck and Lauren would be shocked to learn that they were having triplets.

"Our first baby." Lauren said softly.

"Well…not my very first." Puck said. Lauren nodded understandingly.

Puck turned to Quinn. "Do you ever think about her?"

"Who?" Quinn asked.

"Beth, our daughter." Puck said.

Quinn looked down. "Let's not talk about this. I was having a good time."

"How would talking about her ruin your time?" Puck asked. "Quinn, you can't pretend that she doesn't exist."

"I'm not pretending." Quinn said quickly.

"No." Puck said. "You're avoiding."

"Why are you doing this?" Quinn asked angrily

"I'm doing this because her birthday was last month!" Puck said. "And I'm the only one who seems to give a damn."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "You're drunk."

"I'm not that drunk, Q."

"Don't call me Q."

Puck threw his hands up in disbelief. "Do you even miss her?"

"That's enough." Finn said, but Puck shook his head.

"No. Answer the question, Quinn. Do you even miss our baby girl?"

"I miss her like the desert misses rain." Quinn threw her hands up but in a mocking way. "What do you want me to say, Puck? Huh? I'm miserable without her. I think about her every second of my life."

Puck scoffed, "Don't be so dramatic. I just want you to at least acknowledge her. Every time I say her name, you shut down."

Quinn crossed her arms. "I miss her more than anything, but sometimes I don't want to remember!" Quinn admitted almost yelling. "Beth was my greatest accomplishment and failure. Creating that perfect baby was the accomplishment but giving her away was my greatest failure. Sometimes, I don't want to remember my failure, so leave me alone."

"That's enough." Lauren said. "Puck, leave it alone."

Puck was about to say something, but Matt walked over to him. "Walk with me, Puck."

Puck sighed before nodding. Puck and Matt walked out of the living room. We heard the front door close behind them.

There was still some lingering awkwardness from the abrupt argument. Tina attempted to lighten the mood. "This is supposed to be fun!" Tina said. "Whose turn is it? Who is my victim?"

"It is Brittany's." Santana said staring at Brittany.

Brittany shifted uncomfortably in her seat from the intensity of Santana's stare. "Truth. Tina, give me a question."

"Do you still love me?" Santana asked before Tina could ask anything. The room filled with even more awkward silence.

"Is Matt's spot next to you even cold yet?" I asked Santana. Santana cut her eye at me, while Brittany looked confused.

"What does Matt have to do with anything?" Brittany asked.

"Nothing. Sam needs to mind his own business." Santana said. "Answer the question."

Brittany sighed and reached for a shot. Before she could lift the drink, Santana grabbed her wrist. "Answer the question."

"I don't want to do this, Santana." Brittany said. "Let go of my wrist."

"I still love you."

"Stop it, Santana." Mike said. "Matt is our friend. This isn't cool."

Santana ignored Mike. "Brit, you haven't said one word to me. Why are you avoiding me?"

"Are you kidding me? Don't rewrite history, Santana! This is what you wanted." Brittany said. "I wanted to fight for you, but you ran away. You don't get to demand answers from me. Now, let me go."

"Brit-"

"Stop making a scene." Brittany said. "I don't like scenes."

The front door opened and Santana let go of Brittany's wrist. Santana sat back in her spot as Matt sat back down next to her. Puck apologized to Quinn before sitting back down.

"What did I miss?" Matt asked wrapping his arm around Santana.

Brittany eyed them. "Are you dating Santana?"

"Yeah." Matt said kissing Santana's hand. "Call me, Mr. Sprung."

"More like Mr. Oblivious." Brittany said before standing up and walking into the hallway.

"What was that about?" Matt asked.

"I don't know. I'll go see what is wrong with her." Santana said before she followed Brittany into the hallway. Then the door bell rang again.

"Greeaaattt..." Artie said dragging out the word. "More excitement."

Finn shook his head. "I think the pizza delivery guy is here. The ring came from the back door."

"Why would the delivery guy come through the back door?" I asked

Finn shrugged before walking back. After about five minutes, Finn walked back into the room and sat next to Quinn.

"Shoot." Finn said. "Sam? Can you grab the soda out the kitchen? I forgot it."

"Get it yourself. It's my party." I said

"Please."

I sighed. "Fine."

* * *

><p>I got up and walked down the hallway into the kitchen. When I walked into the kitchen, I didn't see the soda immediately. I looked around the room but I still didn't see any. Looking on the counter, I noticed a cake container. I knew the container. I walked over to open it.<p>

Inside of it, there was a strawberry shortcake. It was a cake made by Mercedes. I could tell by the way the strawberries were placed like a flower on top of the cake. It was something Mercedes always did.

"That cake is for Stevie."

I turned around to see Mercedes leaning on the kitchen doorway with her arms crossed. "Step away, Blondie."

I smiled and all the feelings I had for her came rushing back strong in an instant. "You came."

"Of course." Mercedes said. "I couldn't miss your big party. I flew in a couple of hours ago."

I walked over and hugged her. "I can't believe you're here. I missed you."

Mercedes nodded pulling away. "Its good to see you, Sam."

"So…" I said rubbing the back of my neck. "How have you been? You didn't return any of my phone calls."

Mercedes looked down briefly before shrugging her shoulders. "I thought it would be better that way, but this night isn't about me. How does it feel to be an MVP?"

"Great. The moment after we won the game was indescribable." I said smiling. "I'll never forget it."

"You were amazing in that game."

"You watched?"

"I couldn't take my eyes off the screen." Mercedes said. "I was a nervous wreck watching the game, but I knew you would win."

"Thanks. I'm really happy that you're here." I said stepping closer to her. I reached for her hand but she pulled it away. I closed my eyes briefly and sighed. I had pushed the moment too far.

"Maybe we should join the party." Mercedes said crossing her arms.

I nodded and pointed to the direction of the party. "This way."

We walked slowly down the hall. I looked at Mercedes, but her gaze was fixated on the wall. I knew she was avoiding me.

"Nice pictures." I said trying to make conversation.

"Yeah, they are." Mercedes said. "Sam?"

"Yeah."

"Why are there all of these flowers?" I looked at the two long tables against the wall. They were lined with flowers.

"I don't know." We walked back into the room and everyone was back. They happily greeted Mercedes. After the hellos and 'how have you beens', Mercedes sat immediately between Tina and Quinn. I sat next to Santana on the opposite side of the circle.

"Why are there so many flowers?" I asked Finn.

Finn sighed sadly. "My aunt passed away last week. The flowers are some of the condolescences from extended family."

"Sorry for your loss." I said.

"Yeah, it sucks." Finn said. "She was my favorite aunt." Quinn scooped closely to Finn and wrapped her arm around him.

"She is in a better place, Finn." Quinn said trying to comfort him.

"What was her name?" Artie asked.

"Heather." Finn said. "Her name was Heather."

"Wow." Mercedes, Quinn, and Santana all said in unison.

"I really like that name." Santana said.

"That's funny." Quinn said. "I told Finn that I liked the name a couple days ago."

"I was thinking that too." Mercedes said. "It's a really good name for a girl."

* * *

><p>"<em>Time out!" <em>Heather said using her hands to form a capitalized T. "Are you telling me that all three girls liked my name? No fair. You're not making this easy."

I shrugged my shoulders. "You have a popular name."

Heather sighed. "Please continue…"

* * *

><p>"What are you guys doing?" Mercedes asked.<p>

"We are playing truth, dare, or shot." Artie said.

"I would like to proudly announce that besides Lauren…" Santana said. "I have not taken a single drink!" Santana snapped her fingers.

"It's not a competition, babe." Matt said

"Whatever. Aretha, are you ready to play?" Santana asked.

Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Sure, Santana. Truth."

"Are you still in love with Trouty Mouth?" Santana asked. Another awkward question. Everyone looked at me, before settling their eyes on Mercedes. I don't think Mercedes even noticed the stares from the glee members. She was too busy glaring at Santana.

Santana said, "This should be interesting."

"Can we stop with the heavy questions?" Mike asked

"Answer the question, Mercedes." Santana said. "Does the sight of him still make your heart, as you said, dance? Does his smile still brighten your day? Does his singing still-"

"Shut up, Santana! I can't believe you right now. Our conversation was private! Why are you trying to this uncomfortable for everyone? Don't open up old wounds." Mercedes said angrily.

"You are really in rare form today, Santana." Quinn said.

Santana gave Quinn a dismissive hand wave. "Answer the question." Santana said.

"She doesn't have to answer that." I said. Honestly, I wanted to know the answer to the question, but I didn't want Mercedes to be pressured in answering. "Don't answer that, 'Cedes."

Mercedes shook her head and stood up.

"Not playing by the rules?" Santana asked. "If you don't answer the question, you have to take a shot."

"I'm grown, Santana." Mercedes said walking down the hall. "I don't have to play by your stupid rules. We all heard the back door close.

"Well, this has been an eventful game." Blaine said.

Kurt sighed. "Can we ever get together without drama?"

Quinn shook her head. "Too much baggage."

"I'm going to see if Mercedes is okay." I said getting up. I walked the down the hall toward the back door.

* * *

><p>I walked out into the back yard and I saw her on the porch swing. The porch swing was facing forward toward the yard. I always liked that swing, because you had a full view of the sky. I walked over and sat next to her. Mercedes gave me a friendly smile.<p>

"It's really warm for January." Mercedes said.

"Yeah it is." I said. "Look, Mercedes, I'm sorry about that question-"

"It wasn't your fault." Mercedes said. "Santana was being a jerk."

I nodded.

"Sam…"

"Yeah?"

Mercedes looked forward. "I got a text from you last year. It said, _'it this were a movie, you would still be here.'_ Sam, were you?"

I nodded. "I was at the airport." I told her the story of the entire airport ordeal. After I told her the story, I heard her laugh lightly.

"What's funny?"

"I thought I was crazy." Mercedes admitted. "I heard someone call my name, but I didn't see anyone. When I stepped on the plane, I heard my name again. I yelled your name back even though I didn't know it was you. Maybe I wished it was you at the time." Mercedes laughed. "You should have the faces of the other passengers. They thought I had lost my mind."

I laughed. "Yeah, you should never act crazy on a plane."

After we finished laughing, we sat in silent for awhile. I looked over at Mercedes who was playing with her bracelet. Mercedes always played with her bracelet when we needed to talk about something important that she didn't want to talk about.

I wondered if Mercedes knew that she had a tell. I sighed and looked in the opposite direction for awhile. Then I felt her staring at me. I looked back over to her and she quickly averted my gaze. She started tugging at the sleeves of her purple shirt before picking at imaginary lint off her pants. Mercedes continued this for about minute avoiding my gaze insistently. Then I realized something that made me smile.

I still made her nervous.

I moved a little closer to her and noticed she tensed a little.

"Stop staring at me, Sam." Mercedes finally said

"You never minded before." I said moving just a little closer.

"We were together before." Mercedes said moving a little away from me. "And stop moving closer to me. You aren't exactly being subtle right now."

"I wasn't trying to be subtle. I've never really been subtle when it came to how I feel about you."

I heard Mercedes sigh. "Sam, don't do this. It's been a little over a year."

"So."

"So…let's not do this to each other." Mercedes said crossing her arms. "Go back inside and enjoy your surprise party. They're probably wondering why you have been gone so long."

I chuckled. "It's my party and I'll stay here if I want to."

Mercedes laughed lightly. "I think the expression is 'it's my party and I'll cry if I want to.'"

I shrugged. "I don't have a reason to cry, but I have a reason to smile." I looked at Mercedes and noticed her cheeks turned a different color. She was blushing.

"Sam-"

"The stars are really bright tonight." I said

"What?"

"They remind me of our date in the park. It was August and we looking at the stars." I said. "I don't why but that particular date was always special to me. Do you remember it?"

Mercedes shrugged. "Kinda." I knew she was lying, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to take advantage of her 'sudden amnesia.'

"Let me remind you." I said. "First, you were sitting a lot closer to me." I closed any gap that was between us the bench by moving closer. "Second, your arm was looped with mine." I held out my arm for her to loop with her own, but Mercedes shook her head.

"No! Okay, Sam. I remember the date. I remember it like it was yesterday. Is that what you want to hear?" Mercedes said looking off to the side.

I put my arm down and sighed. "Why did you lie?"

"What's the point of it all, Sam? Why flirt with me and bring up memories that we can't do anything about? I have to leave tonight." She paused and looked back at me. "Sam, this isn't college. I live in LA permanently now. There isn't any 'see you on summer break'. This will probably be the last time I see you in a long time. Why do this to ourselves? What's the point?"

I sighed. "Well, the point of it all is…" I racked my brain to think of what to say to her. I wanted to show her that our feelings were worth remembering. Then an idea came to me. I turned to her to sing, "_The point of it all is I love you._"

Mercedes stared at me. I didn't know if singing to her helped, but I figured it was worth a shot. I knew Mercedes really liked that song. She was silent for a few seconds before a small smile crept on her face. I was happy when she started to sing the next verse, "_Whenever we're apart"_

I sang the next line, "_It damn near starves my heart"_

Mercedes sang the final line, "_And I don't ever want to be apart"_

"That's the point." I said

Mercedes shook her head. "That's not fair. I want an actual answer. You can't tell me through song."

"Why not? You do it all the time." I asked. "Mercedes, its hard to stop thinking about you when the song you wrote about me is always on the radio. It's kinda cruel." I didn't mention that the pain was partially self-inflicted. 'First Love' had become one of the most played songs on my ipod.

"Sorry, it was the song that the record company really liked."

I shook my head. "Don't be sorry."

I continued to look at her. I wanted to give her a good answer. I wanted to say the right thing, but I didn't know what that was. I decided to just go with what I felt. "I want to bring up the feelings because the one hour that I spend with you is worth the next several months that I'll spend missing you."

Mercedes closed her eyes and shook her head. "Why did you have to say that?"

"You feel the same way."

Mercedes opened her eyes and scoffed, "How you do know what I feel?"

"I know you feel the same way. I know because after being apart for an entire year, Mercedes, you still care enough about me to travel halfway across the country to spend just a couple of hours with me."

Mercedes opened her mouth to say something but then closed it. I took her non-response as a sweet vindication of what I had said. I continued,

"And I still make you nervous. You tense when I come close to you." I said moving to her. Mercedes tensed a little before scooting away from me.

"That doesn't mean-"

"You still wear my necklace." I said pointing to the gold chain around her neck.

"It matched my outfit." Mercedes said grabbing the locket part of the necklace around her neck.

"Can I see it?" I asked. Mercedes nodded and I held the locket portion of the necklace in the palm of my hand. "I picked this necklace for a reason. At first, I thought it would be cliché to choose a heart shaped locket, but after I thought about it. A heart was a perfect shape." I let it go. "My heart will be forever yours. And every time you open this locket, you would see us and the love in my heart for you."

I looked at Mercedes and she was speechless. I always felt a sense of triumph whenever I made the girl who had words for everything, speechless. It also gave me a sense of confidence. I often thought about these kinds of moments before I played in a football game.

"Any words?" I asked.

Mercedes rolled her eyes. "You're not as smooth as you think you are."

"I'm not smooth." I said. "You do this to me."

Mercedes smiled.

"Mercedes, I have a question."

"What?"

"What was Santana going to say about my singing?"

Mercedes smiled. "I always liked it when you sang to me."

I smiled. If Mercedes wanted a song, she was going to get a song. I sang her a song that seems appropriate for the moment. "_Now that she's back in the atmosphere, with drops of Jupiter in her hair._" I took the opportunity to repeatedly run my fingers through her hair. I was happy when she didn't pull away, but instead closed her eyes. I wasn't sure if she was trying to better hear my song or feel my touch.

_She acts like summer and walks like rain  
>Reminds me that there's a time to change, hey<br>Since the return from her stay on the moon  
>She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey <em>

I moved my hand to cradle the side of her face. I rubbed my thumb gently against cheek. I smiled when she leaned into my hand. Her action had answered my question, but I continued to sing to her anyway.

_But tell me, did you sail across the sun?  
>Did you make it to the Milky Way<br>To see the lights all faded  
>And that heaven is overrated?<em>

I moved closer to her without ever moving my hand from her face. Mercedes opened her eyes and looked into mine.

_Tell me, baby doll, did you fall for a shooting star?  
>One without a permanent scar<br>__**And did you missed me while you were looking for yourself out there?**_

I stopped singing.

Mercedes sighed and asked, "Why did you stop singing?"

"You heard me." I said. "Answer my question."

She said softly, "Did I miss you?"

I nodded. "Did you miss me? Mercedes, tell me that you missed me as much as I missed you." I leaned in closer to her face. I wanted to hear it. "Tell me."

Mercedes didn't say anything. She blinked a few times before examining my face.

"Mercedes-"

Mercedes grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled me forward. Before I could think, Mercedes' lips were on mine. One of her hands was clutching the front of my shirt and the other hand was in my hair. Mercedes had kissed me. The way that she clutched my shirt was driving me crazy. I had missed this. I had missed her. I had missed the way her lips moved against mine. I never wanted it to stop, but I wanted her to admit her feelings. I needed to hear the words.

I pulled away and Mercedes opened her eyes to look at me, "Sam-"

"Say it, Mercedes." I said tracing my thumb across her chin. "I want to hear you say it."

"I missed you, Sam." The admission was enough. It was all I had wanted her to say since I saw her in that kitchen doorway. I leaned forward to kiss her, but Mercedes stopped me with the hand that holding my shirt. I look at her puzzled, while she smiled. "I still love you, Sam."

Her admission of love sent my face steamrolling back to hers.

I moved one of my hands to her waist and the other one in her hair. I used my hand on her waist to move her closer to me. Then Mercedes pulled my shirt to pull me closer to her if it was even possible. It seemed like we were trying to express all of our feelings in one kiss. We were trying to say 'I still love you.'

Then I heard someone in the background say, "Mercedes! Mercedes! Where are you- Sorry to interrupt." I broke the kiss and heard Mercedes say, '_don't._' I looked at her and saw her wince at her momentary weakness. I gave her a quick kiss before I turned to see Tina.

"Ummm…Mercedes, there is a car out front for you." Tina said. "The driver says you're flight leaves in an hour."

My heart sank again.

"Thanks, Tina." Mercedes said.

"Yeah, so…I'm going to leave now." Tina said before walking back into the house.

Mercedes gave me a quick kiss before saying, "You can't get this on tour."

I gave her a half-smile. "You have to go?" I said sadly

Mercedes nodded. "I'm opening for Alicia Keys tomorrow afternoon. We're in the fifth day of the U.S. tour."

I gently placed my forehead on hers. "I'm so proud of you."

Mercedes smiled. "I'm proud of you, too." She sighed. "I have to go."

I nodded. "Let me walk you to the door."

* * *

><p>Mercedes and I stood on the front steps.<p>

"This is it." Mercedes said

"Yeah, it is."

Mercedes and I stared at each other for awhile, before Mercedes said,

"We're just delaying the goodbye."

"I'm okay with that."

Mercedes laughed before giving me a kiss. She pulled away and gave me a questioning look.

"Have you been drinking whiskey?" Mercedes asked.

"Yeah, it was peer pressure. I only had two shots…wait a minute, how do you know what whiskey taste like?"

Mercedes laughed. "Peer Pressure from the tour band." A loud honk came from the car waiting for Mercedes.

"I have to go." I nodded. Mercedes turned to leave, but then paused as if she hesitant about something. She sighed and turned back around to face me. Mercedes wrapped her arms around me and I wrapped my arms around her. Then she said, "Don't wait for me, Sam."

"Easy said than done, baby doll." I said before kissing the top of her head. "I love you, too."

Mercedes looked up at me and smiled before letting go.

"See ya later, Sam." Mercedes said walking away.

"See ya later, 'Cedes." I watched as Mercedes got into the car. The car drove away and I felt like I was in the airport all over again. I didn't think I would ever get used to the feeling of Mercedes leaving me.

Puck walked outside and stood next to me. "What's up, Sam?"

"Nothing much. I feel like-"

Puck waved his hand for me to stop talking. "No talking about our emotions."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to grow a vagina."

"Shut up, Puck."

* * *

><p>Songs Used in this Chapter:<p>

"The Point of It All" by Anthony Hamilton

"Drops of Jupiter" by Train


	24. Chapter 23: Prelude to a Kiss

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review! Please forgive any grammatical errors.

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

Author's Note: Sorry for the ridiculously long wait for this chapter. Hope everyone enjoys it.

* * *

><p>It was a Friday in February. More specifically, it was Valentine's Day. I had forgotten about the holiday until that morning. I left my dorm and walked into the hall only to have a cupid banner smack me in the face. The hallway had been seemingly decorated overnight. The colors, pink and red, were everywhere. The walls were covered with hearts, banners, and cupids.<p>

I wanted to rip everything down, but I refrained myself. Everyone else in the hall seemed to be enjoying the decorations. I groaned and walked back into my room. I had never been so happy that I had a test to study for. Studying for the test would help take my mind off the day.

Later that afternoon, I met Santana in the library. Santana and I had a class together this semester, so we decided to form our own two person study group. Since our first test was on Monday, so we decided to make afternoon of studying.

Surprisingly, we were able to get a table to ourselves in the quiet section of the library. Even more surprisingly, we didn't talk much. We went straight to studying. Both of us were quiet and focused during our study session, or so I thought. I looked over to Santana to see her gazing aimlessly out of the window. She seemed out of it, like she had something heavy on my mind.

Actually, after I had thought about, Santana had been in a funk lately. She was unusually quiet, introverted and less insulting. Even though, I liked the 'less insulting' part, it wasn't like her. I had a feeling that I knew what she was worried about. Santana had been rejected by NYU around this time last year.

"They won't reject your application this year." I said while highlighting an important idea in my textbook.

"What?" Santana said breaking her attention from the window.

"Your application to NYU." I said. "I know that they didn't accept you last year, but I have a good feeling about this year. Did you write your story yet?"

Santana nodded. "I wrote it awhile ago…I got the response letter last week."

I looked up at her surprised. "And?"

"And what?"

I chuckled. "Santana, did they accept your application?"

Santana nodded and half-smiled. "I'm going to New York."

"That's amazing, Santana."

Santana gave an indifferent shrug. She seemed less excited, than I thought she would be. Santana had been talking about this internship for almost a one year and a half. "Why aren't you more excited by this?" I asked. "Isn't this what you wanted? To get away from Ohio?"

Santana buried her face in her hands and sunk back into her chair. "Yeah, but it's a lot to take in. Everything is a lot to take in." Santana said dropping her hands and looking back out the window. "Everything is happening so fast…"

I had a feeling that Santana was talking about more than the internship. "Is there something else?"

Santana gave a forced half-smile. "Nothing."

I sighed. "You're lying. What else-"

"Do you believe in fate, Sam?" Santana asked still looking out the window. "Like everything is supposed to happen for a reason?"

"Wow. Where did that question come from?" I asked

"Can you answer the question?" Santana asked firmly. "Do things happen because there is a reason? Are we meant for things to happen to us?"

I thought about how to best answer the question. I didn't know what to say. I mean I wasn't a philosopher. "Well, once there was this guy who lost his twin brother. His twin brother was killed during a robbery. I guess you can think, 'how can there possibly be a reason for someone dying?' But this guy traveled to a new world. To make a long story, short, this guy saves this new world."

Santana rolled her eyes. "I wanted a serious answer and you're talking about Avatar?"

I rubbed the back of my neck and blushed. "Yeah, well…it was the best answer I could think of on the spot." I sighed. "Santana, if his brother hadn't died, that new world would have most likely been taken over. His brother's death may have saved a lot more lives."

"Well, what about life?" Santana asked. "People could die for a reason, but are people _born_ for a reason? Do we all have destines? Or is it completely up to us?"

"I think it's a mixture of both. Where is this coming from, Tana?" I asked again. "I thought we were studying history?"

"I'm scared, Sam." Santana admitted. "I'm going to be on my own soon and I'm scared. I would like to think that everything that is happening….is happening for a reason. Fate is comforting. I think it would be horrible if everything was up to me. I mean who am I to make important decisions? Who am I to take care of kids?"

"Kids?" I asked

"I mean, the kids that I'll have one day." Santana said. "It is scary to think that another person will be solely dependent on me and my decisions."

"Was all of this 'fate talk' was brought on by an acceptance letter?" I asked. "Are you scared about moving to New York this summer?"

"It is not about the acceptance letter!" Santana said in frustration. "I'm going to be an adult and I haven't asked myself the hard questions. When I go to New York, I'll be on my own. My mom won't be there. No one will be there. There will be no one to guide me. There will be no one for me to lean on."

I reached across the table and grabbed Santana's hand. "I'll be a phone call away and so will your mom. Plus, Kurt, Blaine, and Rachel are in-"

"I wouldn't dare ask hobbit for help."

"Don't be so proud, Santana." I said. "Adults have to know when to ask for help. Trust me. I wish I had come to the glee club sooner when I became homeless."

"Really?"

"Yeah, sometimes you have to ask for help when you're an adult." I said.

"And make really tough decisions." Santana said.

"Yeah." I said lowly. I looked at Santana and she was looking out the window again. I couldn't escape the feeling that something else was going on with her. She hadn't been this distant since high school. "Are you sure nothing else is bothering you?

"It's nothing, Sam."

I didn't press the issue. She obviously didn't want to talk about it. I squeezed her hand reassuringly. "If it means anything, Santana, I think you would make good decisions. I also think you would be a great mom to your future kids." I said letting go of her hand.

Santana exhaled deeply and genuinely smiled. "It actually means a lot. Thanks." Santana closed textbook and sat up to better compose herself. "Alright, enough about me, Trouty. Let's talk about you."

"What about me?" I asked

"When are you going to start dating again?" Leave it to Santana to be blunt.

I shook my head. "I don't want to date right now. I'm going to focus on football and school."

"_Boring!_" Santana sang. "I can find you a date. I'm going to hook you up."

"I don't want to be hooked up." I said returning my attention to my textbook. "Maybe we should just study."

Santana slammed my textbook shut in my face. I looked up and looked at her in slight shock. "What are you doing?"

"Sam…it has been over a year." Santana said slowly. "I love Mercedes, but I can't let you go on like this."

I opened my book and searched for the page I was on. "I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine."

Santana closed my book again. I sighed in frustration. "Can you stop doing that?"

Santana shook her head. "You're my friend. You have always been a good friend to me, even when I didn't deserve it. We are going to go out tonight and have fun. Let me do this for you."

A confused expression spread across my face. _Didn't she know what day it was? _"Santana, today is Valentine's Day. Don't you and Matt have plans?"

Santana shook her head. "Matt and I are no more."

"Oh." I said. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't tell if Santana was happy or sad about it. She seemed indifferent. I figured that she couldn't be too sad. When Brittany and Santana broke up, Santana spent an hour crying in the auditorium. She had never been that happy since. After breaking up with Matt, she seemed…indifferent. I wondered how Matt was doing. "Are you okay?"

Santana shook her head and looked almost sad. "I don't want to talk about it."

I nodded understandingly. "Santana-"

"Where do you want to go?" Santana asked changing the subject back to future evening plans. "You and I both needed to have fun."

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well, there is this new place that opened just off campus." Santana said. "It is called the 'Corner Spot.' It is mostly for poets to showcase their work, but they welcome any kind of performers. Wanna go?"

"I have a lot of studying to do. I don't know-"

"They are having a 'Queen' night, tonight. There is going to be a band playing some of Queen's greatest hits."

"Why didn't you lead with that?" I asked. "I would love to listen to Queen."

"Okay." Santana said grabbing her books. "Meet me in the dorm common room at 7:00 pm."

* * *

><p>Later that night, Santana and I walked to the place. We talked about classes and plans for the semester. The conversation was light and friendly, but I couldn't help the nagging feeling that there was something wrong with Santana.<p>

She was acting strange. She was often taking long glances at me and walking closer to me than usual. We stopped in front of the building when I felt my cell phone vibrating. I pulled the phone out of my side jean pocket and read the caller id.

"It's a text from Matt." I said. I was about to open the phone to read it when Santana put her hand over mine.

"Read it later." Santana said quickly

I shrugged my shoulders, but then I noticed Santana's hand was still over mine. I looked down at my hands and then at Santana. She was looking at me again.

"Um…why are you holding me hand?" I said.

Santana blushed and retracted her hand. "I forgot how warm you are. I'm going to miss that."

I looked at Santana confused. If I thought something was wrong before, and I knew it now.

"Miss that? What are you talking about-" I was cut off by a street vendor walking towards us. He was an older man, who was holding about five roses in his hand.

"Buy a pretty flower for the pretty lady?" He asked. "It is Valentine's Day."

I looked over to the man's table on the sidewalk that had I had not noticed before. There were bears, flowers, chocolate box, and cards on the table to be sold. I looked back over at Santana who was shaking her head at the old man.

"No, thank you-"

"How much are they?" I asked. Santana turned quickly toward me.

"Sam, don't-"

The old man said, "$2 a rose."

I reached into my pocket and handed him two dollars. We exchanged the money and the rose. The old man said, 'Happy Valentine's Day' before walking away.

I extended the rose to Santana and in my best impersonation of the old man said, "Pretty flower for the pretty lady."

The impression elicited a small laugh from Santana and a half smile. She grabbed the rose and said, "You didn't have to buy me this."

I shrugged, "It isn't a big deal."

Santana gazed at the rose. "I don't deserve this."

"Of course you do." I retorted. "You deserve a flower on Valentine's Day."

Santana took a deep breath and repeated 'I deserve a flower' in almost a whisper. She stared at the rose as if she was contemplating something.

"Um… Earth to Santana…" I said. "What are you thinking about?"

Santana's gaze remained transfixed on the rose than she dropped smile that had been on her face. "No, I don't deserve it." She said trying to hand the rose back to me.

But I refused to take the rose back. "I bought it for you."

"Just take it back."

"No."

Santana remained firm about giving the rose back. "Trust me; you don't want to give this me. Besides I don't want to hold it all night."

I sighed and grabbed the rose. Then I smirked when I had an idea. I broke the rose so the stem was only about 2 inches long.

"Why did you do that?" Santana asked

I threw the stem and its plastic covering away in a nearby trashcan. Then I walked back and placed a rose in her hair, right above her ear. "Now, you don't have to carry it. It looks better this way."

Santana rolled her eyes. "You're not charming."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" I asked playfully.

"Shut up, Sam." Santana said turning to walk inside the building. "Are you coming or not?"

* * *

><p>The inside of the building was nice and bigger than I expected. There was a big main stage in the front of the room with circular tables all around stage. The lights were dimmed slightly and the place was packed. The place did remind me of one of those poetry clubs you see on TV, except there was a small dance floor off to the side of the room.<p>

Santana and I grabbed the one free table located between the stage and dance floor. We ordered a couple of sandwiches, before talking about how great the band was for about the first thirty minutes. After eating, we continued to talk some more.

"This place is nice." Santana said. "Are you having a good time?"

I nodded. "Yeah, what about you?"

Santana nodded too. "I think this is exactly what we both needed."

Then the announcer came to the main stage and tapped the microphone a few times to see if it worked. After hearing a few thumps over the speaker system, the announcer proceeded. "Welcome! Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to 'Queen Night' at the Corner Spot." The place erupted in finger snaps and some clapping. "Our house band would like to continue with another song. They will be performing their rendition of 'Killer Queen'. Also, starting at the top of every hour during intermission, there will be opportunities for karaoke or any other performances. So, have a great time and thanks for coming out."

* * *

><p>The next hour was filled with small talk of classes, high school memories, and movies that were coming up. The mood was light. Santana was smiling a lot more and I was having more fun than I had had in awhile. Everything was going great until the karaoke started. A girl came on stage and proceeded to sing 'First Love', Mercedes' song.<p>

I sighed. "When will people stop listening to that song?"

Santana gave me a sympathetic smile. "You want to boo her off stage?"

"Tempting…" I admitted, but then I shook my head. "But the song is almost over anyway."

"Don't say that I didn't offer." Santana said sitting up from the chair.

"Where are you going?" I asked

"To the bathroom."

"Again? You have a weak bladder." I said

Santana rolled her eyes. "Mind your own business." Santana then proceeded to walk through the dance floor that was full of couples. I started to think about Mercedes again as I watched the other couples dance with her song being sung in the background.

My emotions started going through a continuous cycle of sadness, anger, and worry. I was angry that I couldn't be with her. I was angry that I still missed her even after more than a year passed. I was sad that I had to figure out a way to get over her. Then I was starting to worry that I would never feel better. I was worried that I would never beover her.

My thoughts were interrupted when Santana sat back down.

"What were you in deep thought about?" Santana asked.

I didn't want to bring Mercedes up and start the dating argument again. So I brought up Brittany. "Santana, how did you get over Brittany?" Santana stared at me. She looked a little unsettled by the question. Santana looked off to the side seemingly trying to figure out what to say. Finally, she just shrugged. "I'll tell you when I'm over her."

"That was not what I wanted to hear." Would I never be over Mercedes?

"Thinking about Aretha?"

I nodded. "It's hard not to." I pointed to the stage where the girl was still singing. She had started singing a medley of Mercedes songs.

"Is she still singing?" Santana asked me disbelief.

I nodded. "I think the universe is torturing me."

Santana laughed.

I smiled. "I made you laugh." I was grateful when the girl stopped singing. The house band had finally started to come back on stage.

"Well, once in a blue moon, you are funny." Santana said. "I know how you can get over her."

"Yeah, okay." I said sarcastically.

"Will you just indulge me?" Santana said. "My idea may actually work."

I sighed. "Okay. What do I have to do?"

"Kiss someone else."

I shook my head. "I don't want to date. Why do you keep pushing this?"

"Because I want to help you." Santana said. "You have issues."

"I have issues?" I asked her in disbelief.

Santana nodded. "Your feelings aren't normal." She said pointing at me. "You broke up with her a year ago. You need to get over it."

"Is this not the pot calling the kettle black?" I asked slightly annoyed. This night out was supposed to be about me forgetting about my relationship. Now, it had become the main topic of discussion.

Santana said. "Look, I know I have my romantic issues-"

"And trust issues. Issues period." I immediately regretted my words when I saw the frown on Santana's face. "I'm sorry-"

"You're right." Santana said sadly. "I don't have a good track record with people. My dad left, boys used me, Brittany left me, my grandmother disowned me...sometimes, I really don't think that there is anyone I trust and depend on but myself. I feel like I have to protect myself. Put my guard up, you know?"

It saddened me to see Santana like this. I reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "You can trust me."

Santana smiled and squeezed my hand. "I know. You're one of the few people that I feel safe with. I don't even feel safe around Matt."

"Why not?" I asked curiously.

Santana sighed. "I never really gave him a fair chance. I have been lying to him ever since we met again in college. It is hard to feel content with someone that you've never truly been yourself with."

I nodded. "Even if you both aren't together anymore, I think you should still talk to him. He is a nice person."

"I know. I'm not proud of the way that I've treated him. I took advantage of his infatuation with me. That wasn't right." Santana said. "I'm not proud of the way that I've treated you either. I don't deserve a friend like you."

I retracted my hand and looked at her in disbelief. "Would you stop saying that? Santana, you deserve the world. You deserve good friends, an amazing internship, and even a stupid $2 rose on Valentine's Day."

Santana smiled and said softly. "Maybe you're right."

"I know I'm right." I said unquestionably

Santana continued, "Well, one thing I do know is that my best friend is a cheapskate. If I deserved flowers on Valentine's Day, you could have brought me more than one."

"What?"

"I didn't stutter." Santana said. "They only cost $2. You couldn't buy me more than one?"

"Santana…" I said slowly. "Did you say I was your best friend?"

Santana nodded. "Sadly, you are. Mercedes is still pissed that I revealed her feelings at your party last month. Brittany doesn't return my calls. Quinn is mad that I didn't respond to her stupid letters. I never see Tina anymore. And you can forget about all of the guys."

I didn't say anything at first. I think it was a mixture of shock from Santana calling me her best friend and the band's next song choice. The house band had started to play Queen's "You're My Best Friend."

_Ooh you're the best friend that I ever had  
>I've been with you such a long time<br>You're my sunshine and I want you to know  
>That my feelings are true<br>I really love you  
>Oh you're my best friend<em>

"Seriously?" Santana asked. "Are they eavesdropping on our conversation?"

I looked back at the band and chuckled. "Maybe. We are sitting next to the stage."

"Sam."

I turned my attention back to Santana, whose face was now serious. "Sam, you are my best friend. I want to help you get over Mercedes. Let me do this last thing for you."

"I don't want to talk about this today."

Santana shook her head. "No, Sam. It has to be today. " Santana said before she lowered her voice to almost a whisper. "Everything changes tomorrow…"

I knew she was trying to say it low enough so that I couldn't hear it, but I heard it.

"What happens tomorrow?" I asked.

"It's nothing." Santana said.

"No, tell me the truth. You have been acting weird all day." I thought about everything Santana had said today. I remembered her saying 'I'll miss this', 'last thing', and 'everything will change.' Then something finally clicked in my head. "Santana, where are you going and do you plan on coming back?"

_Ooh I've been wandering round  
>But I still come back to you<br>In rain or shine  
>You've stood by me girl<br>I'm happy at home  
>You're my best friend<em>

"Sam, please give me tonight." Santana said almost pleading. "I promise you will know everything tomorrow. But for right now, I want things to be the same. Sam, I want to help you like you've helped me. Let me help you get over Mercedes."

"What happens tomorrow, Tana?"

"Please, Sam, just wait."

I gave in and just nodded. "Okay. Fix me."

Santana stood up from her seat and extended her hand. "Dance with me."

"Really?"

"No questions, Sam." Santana said. "Follow my lead."

I grabbed Santana's hand, but I walked in front and led her to the dance floor.

_Ooh you make me live  
>Whenever this world is cruel to me<br>I got you to help me forgive  
>Ooh you make me live now honey<br>Ooh you make me live_

We swayed to the fun song. My hands were at her waist, while her arms were around my neck. "So dancing will help me get over Mercedes?" I asked.

"Dancing is part one." Santana said.

"What is part two?"

Santana looked me in the eyes. "Kiss me."

"What?" I asked shocked. Then I shook my head repeatedly. "No, I'm not going down that road with you again."

"Why not?" Santana asked. "Just for a night."

"Because our relationship was fake and ill conceived." I reminded her.

"The hurt on your face, when I left you for Karofsky, didn't seem fake." Santana said nonchalantly.

"Are you trying to make me feel better or worse?" I asked.

"I don't think our relationship was fake." Santana said. "There was something there."

"Maybe."

"Definitely." Santana retorted. "Sam, I think you just need to find someone to love, but you need to get over Mercedes for that to happen."

At that moment, the house band started playing 'Somebody to Love' in the back ground.

_Can anybody find me somebody to love?  
>Each morning I get up I die a little<br>Can barely stand on my feet  
>Take a look in the mirror and cry<br>Lord what you're doing to me_

I laughed at the shocked expression on Santana's face. "That band is eavesdropping! I'm not paranoid."

"They can't hear us from over here. Just enjoy the song, Santana." I said. "Just dance."

"No." Santana said moving closer. "Kiss me, Sam."

"No." I said firmly.

_I have spent all my years in believing you  
>But I just can't get no relief, Lord!<br>Somebody, somebody  
>Can anybody find me somebody to love?<em>

"Why not?" Santana asked. "Afraid that you'll like it?"

"No." I said quickly. "Santana, it wouldn't be right. We don't have romantic feelings for each other."

"This isn't about developing new feelings." Santana said. "This is about getting over old feelings. We can help each other."

_I work hard every day of my life  
>I work till I ache my bones<br>At the end I take home my hard earned pay all on my own -  
>I get down on my knees<em>

"Santana, we both know that it wouldn't be right." I said. "Besides, the kiss would be forced."

"I just want to help you." Santana said. "Sam, I really care about you."

"I care about you, too." I said.

"I think I love you." Santana said. I looked at her shocked. Santana quickly explained her statement after seeing the look on my face. "Not romantic…but they are strong feelings." Santana took in a sharp breath. "I shouldn't have told you that. I don't deserve you as a friend." I looked into Santana and saw that they were misty.

"Tana…" I said softly.

Santana shook her head lightly. "Let's just dance like you said."

Santana looked me directly in the eyes and I stared back. There was this intensity in her eyes that I had never seen before.

The drum solo of 'Somebody to Love' had begun to echo through the room. Santana and I started moving in rhythm of the drum beat. The intensity in her eyes matched the intensity I started feeling in my own. My heart moved in rhythm of the fast, growing drum beat. Time slowed down and for a moment it seemed like it was just us. It was just Santana and I moving to the beat of the drum. The rest of the world was unimportant. The band was started chanting 'Find me somebody to love'.

_Find me somebody to love_

_Find me somebody to love_

_Find me somebody to love_

_Find me somebody to love_

I felt the distance between us closing even more. Suddenly, our faces were moving closer together. I felt her breath on face when the song stopped.

"Karaoke is now open!" The announcer said over the speaker system.

I took a step back from Santana. "I'm sorry. I got caught up in the moment."

"Don't apologize." Santana said. "I wanted you to kiss me."

I shook my head. "I know, but this doesn't feel right. I'm really confused."

"Don't over think it."

I stared at Santana and sighed. "You confuse me. I can never read you."

"You can't read period." Santana retorted.

There was the insulting Santana I had known, making fun of my dyslexia. "Funny." I said sarcastically.

"Do you want to truly know me Sam?" Santana asked walking closer to me.

Almost instinctually, I took a step back. I didn't know where she was going with this, but I started to go along with it. I didn't over think it. I hesitantly said, "Yes."

"Okay. Sit at our table." Santana walked past me and disappeared into the crowd. I walked back to our table and sat down. Two minutes later, Santana was on stage.

"Hello, everyone." She said into the microphone. "I want to dedicate this song to Trouty Mouth. I hope this song helps you to understand me better." Santana nodded to the side of the stage and the instrumental to the song started to play. Santana took a deep breath before singing,

_**Sometimes I feel  
>Like I don't belong anywhere<strong>__  
>And it's gonna take so long<br>For me to get somewhere  
>Sometimes I feel<br>So heavy hearted  
>But I can't explain<br>__**Cause I'm so guarded**_

_But that's a lonely road to travel_  
><em>And a heavy load to bare<em>  
><em>And it's a long, long way to heaven<em>  
><em>But I gotta get there<em>

Then Santana stared directly at me. It was if she was singing to me.

_**Can you send an angel?  
>Can you be my angel?<br>To guide me**_

After she finished the song, everyone started to applaud. Her performance was moving. I could tell the words really meant a lot to her, by the way she sung them. After a few minutes, I saw Santana walking toward me. I stood up and started to walk so I could meet her half-way.

"Sam-"

I pulled her close and cut her off with a kiss. I pulled away and looked down her. She was smiling.

"Sam…" Santana said. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

* * *

><p>The next morning, I opened my eyes to see that Santana was gone. In her spot, there was a note. I rubbed my eyes before reading it.<p>

_Sam, _

_By the time you read this note, I will be gone. I'm leaving and I'm never coming back. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what I did. This was the hardest decision I have ever had to make, but I had to do it. You didn't deserve this and I didn't deserve a friend like you. Soon you will find out what I'm talking about. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me one day and…I will truly miss you._

_Santana_

I reread the note to make sure I was reading it right. _What was she talking about? Why is she leaving? What did she mean?_ I dropped the note and pondered about _'what I would find out.'_ Honestly, most of all I was worried for Santana. She had been depressed for awhile and I didn't think running away was the best idea. I felt the spot next to me and it was still warm. Santana couldn't have gotten too far. I put my shirt back on and ran to the elevators.

* * *

><p>The first place that I checked for Santana was her dorm. Luckily, Santana was still there. I could hear crying as I stood in front of her closed door. My instincts started to kick in. Santana was in trouble and I needed to help her.<p>

I knocked on the door and the crying stopped almost immediately. "Santana."

I could hear nothing but silence on the other side of the door. I knocked harder on the door. "Santana, let me in." There was more silence. "I know you're in there, Santana. I heard you crying. What is going on? Are you okay?"

There was more silence. She wasn't making this easy for me, but I wasn't going to give up. I placed one hand on the door and gently placed my head on the door. "Santana, I get it. You're guarded. You have been hurt a lot before and you don't trust easily." I looked down at my feet and sighed. I hoped that I was getting through to her. "I won't hurt you, Santana. You've been in funk lately and I want to know why. Whatever it is, you don't have to run away from it. You said I was your best friend. Well, let me be your friend. Let me in." I heard a deep sigh come from the room. I felt pressure coming from the opposite side of the door. Santana was probably leaning against it.

It was ironic we were talking about being guarded, because there was one thing guarding Santana from me.

The door.

"Talk to me, Tana. Open the door."

"You'll hate me." The agony in her voice saddened me.

I shook my head even though she couldn't see. "I could never hate you." I said reassuringly.

I stepped back from the door when I felt it opening. Santana opened the door completely.

"What is going on with you?" I asked sincerely when I saw Santana.

She looked like she had been to hell and back. Her face was red and slightly puffy from crying. I hugged her immediately, hoping to alleviate any of pain she was going through.

"Was hanging out with me so bad that it made you cry?" I joked trying to lighten her mood. "Ouch."

Santana started laughing, but then quickly pulled away from me. "How can I be laughing right now?"

I walked fully into the dorm room and closed the door behind me.

Santana sat down on the edge of her bed and buried her face in her hands. "I thought you would sleep in later than this…" Santana said. "I wanted to leave before you woke up."

"Why are you leaving?" I said sitting next to her. "Why were you crying?"

Santana walked over to her closet and started throwing clothes in the suitcases on the floor. I closed the door and watched as Santana packed away what little life she had actually set up here. "Don't ignore me. Santana, where are you going?"

Santana paused from her frantic packing and looked at me. "I'm going to New York. Today."

"What?" I asked. "Your internship doesn't start until the summer."

Santana had started packing her shoes. I was tired of the run around and indirect answers. I walked over and grabbed her shoe bag away from her. Santana looked at me shocked. "What are you doing?"

"You're not leaving until you answer my questions." I said.

"Give me my bag." Santana said before she reached for it. I lifted the bag higher. Santana jumped once to reach it, but soon realized it was out of her reach. Santana glared at me. "What are you five years old? Give me my bag."

I shook my head. "Talk to me."

Santana continued to glare at me before she let out a deep breath. "Fine. You're going to find out anyway."

Santana sat down on the side of her bed. Then she pointed to the spot next to her. I put her bag on the ground and sat next to her.

I started, "Why are you going to New York now? What about your classes?"

"I withdraw from all of my classes yesterday, after our study session." Santana said.

"What? This is crazy, Santana." I said. "Why are you going to New York now?"

Santana remained silent and I was starting to get frustrated. "Why won't you answer the question?"

"Can you ask another question?" Santana asked.

I sighed and ran my hand over my face. "Can you at least tell me how you're going to support yourself in New York? Where are you staying?"

"I'm staying with Rachel, Kurt, and Blaine." Santana said. "I took your advice and asked them for help. After I explained my situation, they said I could stay with them until I get on my feet. I think they felt sorry for me."

"Your situation?"

Santana started to cry. "Sam, I don't like to cry. Can we stop talking? Let me pack."

"No, Santana. What is your situation?" I asked. "I can't help you, unless you tell me." I wrapped my arm around her and rubbed her arm soothingly. Santana laid her head against my chest and sighed.

"Talk to me."

"I'm going to miss you, Sam." I frowned and looked down her face. A few tears were sliding down her face. I used my other hand to wipe them away.

"Santana, will you finally tell me what is going on with you?"

"You deserve the truth." Santana sighed. "Sam, you know I was really disappointed last year when my application for NYU was rejected."

I nodded. "I remember."

Santana continued, "I really wanted that internship this year. I had to get it. I didn't want to be here anymore. I hate it at this school. People are small-minded."

"I know." I said sadly. "But Santana, I don't understand. You got the internship. Why are you sad?"

"Let me finish." Santana said on a sigh. Santana stood up from the bed and stood in front of me. "I knew I needed a huge story to stand out among the applicants." Santana paused and took another deep breathe. I knew whatever she was trying to say was hard. "Sam, I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what?" I asked. I thought about what she could have possibly written about. What story would be big enough? Then it hit me. "No. Santana, please tell me you didn't." I looked into her eyes and saw the remorse. Then I knew.

"Sam, my story was about you using steroids and the university covering it up." Santana said crying. Her voice was breaking from emotion in it. "I'm sorry."

It felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. All of my emotions hit me. I was shocked, angry, and upset at the same time. "I can't believe you would do this to me, Santana." I said hurt. "Please, don't let them run the story, Santana. It'll ruin any chance I have at the NFL."

Santana shook her head. "I can't stop it. Time Magazine is running the story tomorrow. It's the cover story. I'm sorry."

"Stop with the sorrys. I can't believe you!" I yelled. "The cover story! Are you kidding me? How could you destroy my dreams for your own? How could you be so selfish?"

"I had to do it."

"No, you didn't!" I said angrily. "You didn't have to do this! No one forced you!" I stood up from the bed and walked toward the door. I turned back around to face her. "Was this why you've been so nice to me? You felt guilty."

"I had to do it." Santana said ignoring my last question. "I have to start thinking about my future. The internship would give me a full scholarship and a job. I need to start supporting and taking care of myself."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing right. I was tired of her only thinking about herself. Did she not see how this would affect me? "What about my future, huh?" I asked. "Do you even think about how this would affect me? Did you even care?"

"It wasn't an easy decision!" Santana said. "This has been eating me up inside. I hated doing this to you, but I needed a job now more than you do."

I stared at her in disbelief. "I can't believe you're still defending your decisions."

"I need to be able to take of us." Santana said clutching her stomach.

"Us?"

"Sam, I'm pregnant!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: We finally find out what Santana did. What did you guys think?**

**Songs used in the chapter:**

"**Somebody to Love" by Queen**

"**You're My Best Friend" by Queen**

"**Prelude to a Kiss" by Alicia Keys**


	25. Chapter 24: Moments

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review! Please forgive any grammatical errors.

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

Author's Note: I figured that I owed you guys a good, long chapter after more than a month of no updates. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>"No, No, No, No!" Heather yelled repeatedly before dropping her notebook carelessly on the floor. It was obvious that Heather wasn't pleased by the latest development in the story. Mark froze awkwardly as if he had never been around a child's temper tantrum. I rested my hand on her shoulder,<p>

"Heather, calm down." I said firmly.

Her brown eyes connected with mine. I saw that they were misty, as if she was ready to cry. Heather nodded at my statement. Then she got into a fetal position and laid her head on my lap. "I don't like this ending! I don't want that witch to be my mother. This isn't fair."

"Heather, we don't call people out of their names."

Heather looked up at me, shock across her face. "She betrayed you and was going to leave the state without telling. Santana was gonna take me away from you!" Heather shook her head at the idea. She grabbed my knee before saying, "I want to stay with you, Daddy. I don't ever want to be anywhere else."

My heart melted from Heather's words. I chuckled at the way she was clutching my knee as if she needed it, not gravity, to keep her from floating away. "Heather, you're not going anyway. No one took you away to New York."

"I don't understand…Santana is pregnant…" Heather said softly. She looked pensive as she turned her forward. "I don't understand…"

I ran my fingers through her hair and tried to calm her down. Between Heather's words, the tone of her voice, and her racing heart beat against my leg, I knew she was upset. But the reality was... she didn't have to be. "Heather, listen. There are going to be parts of this story that may make you upset. I'm telling you the story now, because I think you're mature enough to handle it. You cannot react like that every time there is a part that you don't like."

Heather nodded timidly, as if slightly embarrassed by her previous outburst.

"Do you want me to continue?"

Heather nodded again.

"I promise to try and explain everything as clearly as possible." I said softly still running my fingers through her brown hair. "Let me continue…"

* * *

><p>I sat back down on Santana's bed, because at that moment everything just seemed heavy.<p>

It is funny how drastically your life could change in one moment. I think everyone has them. Those moments that affect your life so profoundly that you know your life won't be the same after that moment has happened. One of those moments was with Santana that morning in her dorm. Whether I liked it or not, my life was going to be forever different from this point on.

I remember that moment so clear. Another funny thing is these moments are always so vivid in your mind. I think because your emotions are running so high that it is hard to forget. I remember sitting on the bed looking around Santana's empty room. The room that had never really been settled into at all. Santana's room had been packed into two small personal suitcases and a duffel bag. She was able to pack everything quickly and in _only_ three bags. I think there wasn't much of a life to pack because she never intended on making one here. She waited for her first opportunity to leave and took it.

"Sam, I'm sorry." Santana said weakly. Her voice was full of remorse and I heard it, but it didn't make me feel any better. I heard her say my name twice, but I couldn't bring myself to look at her face. I was livid and depressed at once which isn't good combination. I did manage to bring my line of vision back up to her stomach. I stared at her stomach slightly amazed that a little person with now inside of her. This little person knew nothing of the world. A little person knew no prejudice, emotions, words, or anything. The baby had nothing to its name, not even moments. The baby had almost a blank mind, a blank existence. It probably only knew its mother's voice. To him or her, the only thing that existed in this world was Santana's voice. At the thought, surprisingly, I felt a small twitch at the corner of my mouth, but I didn't let myself smile.

"Please say something, Sam." I heard Santana practically beg. I finally looked up to Santana's face. I hadn't seen her so upset since she broke up with Brittany. Her face had mascara streaming down her face. Her eyes were puffy and red. Her stance was passive. She looked so sad, terrible, but still beautiful in spite of it all. I stood and continued to look at her face again. There was nothing but agony and anticipation written across it. She looked like she was holding her breath, waiting for me to answer. It made me worry that the baby wasn't getting enough oxygen. So I spoke, not to put the baby's mother out of agony, but to spare him or her any harm.

"What do you want me to say, huh?" I asked. "You used me. You took advantage of my trust. Santana, I confided in you and you betrayed. Not only did you betray me, you lied."

"I'm sorry." Santana said softly.

"Don't you know any other words?"

"I'm-I-I don't know what to say. I needed an out. I couldn't stand the thought of being the pregnant lesbian on campus." Santana said touching my arm. I pulled it away and Santana sighed. "How can I make it up to you?"

"Is it Matt's?" I asked flatly.

Santana took a step back. Then she said softly, angrily. "How dare you. Of course, it is-"

"Well, you tried to push yourself on me last night. How many other guys have you thrown yourself at?" I internally winced. I couldn't believe I had said that her. I wanted to hurt her, but that felt wrong.

Santana stepped back hurt. "_Nothing_ happened between us. We fell asleep-"

Then I said more awful words. "Thank God. I hate to be the one attached to you for the rest of my life." I stood up off the bed.

Santana heatedly walked over to her bags. She picked them up and threw them on the bed. "Well, I won't be your problem anymore. I'm leaving this state and I'm _never_ coming back."

I shrugged. "Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

Santana just stared at me. She looked tired.

I leaned against the door and stared back at my former friend. "Do you know what the crazy part is, Santana?"

"Do I wanna to know?" Santana said crossing her arms.

"I would have been there."

"What?"

"Santana, you were one of my best friends." Angry was replaced with sadness. I felt a familiar burn on the back of my eyes, but I wouldn't let the tears fall. She didn't deserve to see how much she hurt me. How much she meant to me. "I would have been there. I would have told you everything was going to be okay. I would have held your hair through the morning sickness. If you wanted, I would have held your hand through labor. I would have done all of that because you were my friend and I love you. Apparently, you don't feel the same or think enough of me."

"Were?" Santana said sadly. She stood shocked at my revelation. "You can still be there."

"I can't…I can't be your friend anymore." I sighed. "I guess our story did end in a tragedy." I remembered the song Santana had sang to me in glee. No song could repair this.

"It doesn't have to…" Santana said.

"It does. This is the way you wrote it, literally.

I saw a few tears escape Santana's eyes, and I silently prayed that she couldn't see mine. I opened the door and started to walk out of the room.

"Sam-"

I stood in the doorway and looked at her. "Sam, you said love in the present tense."

I stared at her for a while, before I said, "Tell Matt the truth and be a better mother than you are a friend." I closed the door.

I never saw Santana in person again.

* * *

><p>I didn't know where to go. Santana's world may have changed today, but my world was going to change tomorrow. I didn't know what to do. I had downplayed how much buzz I was getting from sports shows because I didn't want to give my hopes up. Playing in the NFL was one of the few things that I had ever wanted. But I knew I wasn't the only person who would be thrown in the gutter. A negative light would be shown on the university, and Coach Sullivan. After everything he had done to help me, he deserved a heads up on the media blitz that was coming his way. I knew what I had to do. I walked toward the athletics' department.<p>

Coach Sullivan wasn't in his office, so I went to the field to see if he was there. Surprisingly, half of the football team was on the field, including Matt. It was surprising because the season was over. It had been over for awhile. What _were they doing? Why wasn't I invited to a team meeting?_ I had left my phone in my dorm in a rush to stop Santana from leaving, so I thought maybe I didn't get the message about the impromptu meeting. Maybe, I was invited. Nevertheless, I walked toward the group to see what was going on. I stopped when I saw Matt leaving the group. He was fuming. Matt stormed off in the direction of the locker room. He only stopped to look at me for a second before walking into the locker room. _Did I just imagine that death glare he gave me?_ I walked behind him to see what was wrong. Before I walked in the locker room, I heard a teammate yell, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." I ignored the warning and went after Matt.

I walked down the hall and around the corner, until I saw lockers. The room smelled of faded disinfectant. I called Matt's name several times, but the only response I got back was an echo of my own voice. I looked all around the empty locker room, I didn't see Matt. One last time, I said loudly, "Matt, are you okay? Why were you-"

I was blindsided when Matt rammed me into the lockers. I winced in pain not from the impact of metal lockers, but the locks that had taken blunt jabs in my back below my ribcage. "What was that for?" I asked rubbing the bruise that was surely forming.

"What the hell were doing with my girlfriend, yesterday?" Matt yelled at me.

"What?"

"Some of the guys said they saw you with her yesterday." Matt yelled. "They saw her go in your dorm room last night?"

I winced again, this time from the realization that Matt was still under the impression that him and Santana were still together. Santana had lied so much during the past year, I wouldn't be surprised if she never did break up with him. "She said you two were broken up."

"Liar." Matt said coldly. "Santana would never do that."

"It is true." I said. "Matt, I didn't sleep with her."

"Oh wow. What a big consolation!" Matt said sarcastically. "You still cheated with my girlfriend! Tell me why I shouldn't kick your ass right now?"

Before I could answer, Matt started in again.

"You, Sam?" Matt shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you would do this to me. I thought you were my friend."

"I am!" I yelled.

"Liar!" Matt said running full force. He shoved me into the lockers again. This time he was pinning me down by the shoulders. How had it come to this? I was tired of being everyone's punching bag. I gave Matt one hard shove in the middle of his chest. Matt stumbled back. He looked me and positioned himself to lunge at me. I braced myself for a seemingly inevitable fight. Matt surprised me when he stopped himself. He took a deep breath and sat down on the bench. I leaned against the lockers, thankful no fight had started.

Matt roughly ran his hands over his head before looking up at me again. "Did our friendship mean nothing to you? After everything we went through-"

"You don't understand-"

"No! You don't understand!" Matt said. "After everything! After everything that has happened in the last two years, you would do this to me? I was there for you, man. I almost got arrested running through a damn airport _shoeless_ for you. I was there when you were moody and self-pitiful when you broke up with Mercedes. I was there helping Rachel and Kurt plan your surprise party!" He paused and let out a frustrated sigh. "Even if Santana and I were broken up, you don't date your friend's ex-girlfriend! I can't believe that I almost considered you a brother to me."

Matt was right and the sad part was that he didn't even know the half of it. He didn't know about Santana's sexuality, about Brittany and Santana, about Santana's pregnancy, or that I had dated Santana. I was tired of lying and the games. It had gotten me nowhere but on the verge of a national scandal and the hatred of a dear friend. I wasn't going to lie to him anymore. "Santana is pregnant."

Matt looked at me and I saw the blood drain from his face. "What?"

"Santana is pregnant." I said again.

Matt stood up, "I need to find her." Matt shoved past me before leaving the locker room. I heard him say 'I can't right now' to someone. I walked out of the locker room to see Mike waiting outside.

"What's up with Matt?" Mike asked.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Being your friend." Mike said. "It looks like you need one."

"Yeah. I really do. Considering that I seem to be losing friends by the hour."

"Sam…have you heard?" Mike asked hesitantly.

"About what?"

"The steroid story."

I nodded. "Yeah. Santana told me an hour ago that Time magazine was running the story tomorrow. Santana wrote it."

Mike looked at me surprised. "Santana wrote it? It didn't say that in the article I read."

"What?" I asked. "What article?"

"Sam, the story has been leaked." Mike said. "It is all over the Internet right now. _Today_."

* * *

><p>An hour later, Mike and I were at the outside cafeteria eating lunch. Well, Mike was eating lunch. My stomach was in knots and I couldn't even think about eating. I had told Mike about everything that had gone down in the last 24 hours. After I finished telling him everything, he just shook his head.<p>

"This is messed up." Mike said. "Santana really did you in."

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know." I said. It was then that I noticed other students were looking at me. I heard loud whispers of 'look', 'that's him', 'druggie' and 'steroids'. I sighed. It was only going to get worse. I was now the spectacle, the university scandal. It was only going to get worse from here.

"Sam, everyone knows that steroids story is a lie." Mike said before taking a drink his soda.

"Are you sure?" I said looking at the people staring at us. Most people averted my gaze when I looked back at them. However, there were some people who were bold.

"Hey, Shoot-em-up Sam." I heard a guy walking say. I cringed at the nickname. It was the first time that I had heard the nickname that would follow me for the rest of my life.

Then two other guys walked up to our table. One of them put a pen and paper in my face. "Can I get your autograph? I mean while you're still the quarterback." I snatched the paper for his hand and ripped it. The other guy laughed, "Oh, he's angry! You won't like him when he's angry!"

"Don't you have something better to do?" Mike asked.

Both of the guys laughed before walking away. I looked at Mike. "See? And it is only going to get worse. People will think this story is true-" I felt a hand on my shoulder. "What do you want?" I yelled, assuming the two guys had come back. It wasn't.

I looked up to see Deshawn.

"Someone is on edge." Deshawn said.

"Sorry, Deshawn." I said. "I thought you were someone else."

"No problem." Deshawn said sitting down between Mike and me. "Hey Mike."

Mike nodded.

"Nebraska, listen. I heard the story-"

"It isn't true."

"I know that. You're too honest." Deshawn said as if he was insulted I thought otherwise. "Anyway, I came over here to see how you were doing."

I gave a half-smile. "Thanks."

"You go to this school?" Mike asked. "I never see you around."

"What is with the shades? It is cloudy out." I asked. Deshawn was wearing sunglasses even though the day was cloudy. There was a storm coming today. I didn't know it was going to be my own personal one.

"I attend this university, Mike." Deshawn said. "I need the sunglasses, because honestly, I'm hung over and tired." He took his glasses off. "Nebraska, I wanted to tell you something."

"What?" I asked

"I don't believe the story…and I know my sister doesn't either." Deshawn said standing up. "Keep your head up, Nebraska. Don't let people let you feel ashamed for something you didn't do."

"Thanks. I needed to hear that."

Deshawn nodded, before walking away.

"That was nice." Mike said. "What are you going to do now?"

"The story is out of my hands. There is really one thing I can do at the moment." I said. "Make things right with Matt."

* * *

><p>I walked back to Santana's room looking for Matt. He wasn't in the common room, game room, or his dorm. I figured he may be there.<p>

I was right. I opened her door to see Matt sitting on her bed staring at the wall. A note clutched in his right hand. He looked lost and confused staring at Santana's blank walls. I felt guilty that I had allowed this to happen to him.

"How long have you known?" Matt said low, angry.

"I found out that she was pregnant this morning. Before I saw you."

Matt shook his head. "I'm not talking about that."

"What are you talking about?"

"How long have you known that Santana was a lesbian?" Matt said balling the note in his hand and throwing it against the wall.

I sighed. "How did you figure it out?"

Matt pointed to the note on the ground. "That's all she left me. A note saying she is really a lesbian and she doesn't need me to help raise the baby." Matt shook his head angrily. "This is my baby too! She doesn't get to do this."

I decided to answer his first question. "Santana came out the closet a couple of months after we dated our junior year of high school."

"You dated?" Matt said shocked. "In high school?" Matt stood up. "If she has been out since high school, then everyone knew. You, Mike, Finn, and Puck…you _all _lied to me. What? Was I the joke of the group?"

"No, it wasn't like that Matt." I said. "Santana didn't want us to tell. We were keeping our friend's secret."

"Looks like you chose the wrong friend." Matt said. "I don't ever want to see you again. I don't want to see any of you." Matt shook his head. "First, it was my dad. Now you. I'm tired of everyone lying to me."

"I want to make this right, man." I said.

"You can start by telling me where she is going." Matt said. "I deserve to be a part of my kid's life."

I nodded. "She is going to New York to live with Kurt, Blaine, and Rachel."

Matt nodded. "I still can't be around you. I'm too angry." Matt started walking toward the doorway that I was standing in.

"Where are you going?"

"New York." Matt said. For the second time that day, he shoved past me and walked out.

* * *

><p>Heather sat up and grabbed her notebook from the floor. She flipped through her notebook full of scribbles and notes. She stopped on a page in the middle. It was list of the potential moms. From the top of the page to bottom, it said QUINN, SANTANA, MERCEDES. Heather picked up her pen and placed it at the edge on Santana's name.<p>

"Santana isn't my mom, is she? Heather asked.

I shook my head, "She isn't." I looked as Heather put a line through Santana's name. I looked at the TV thinking about Santana. How was she? What had become of her? Was she finally happy? I had missed our friendship over the years. I had missed our easy conversations, her candidness, and her nicknames for me…

Heather must have noticed my thoughtful expression, because at that moment she tapped my arm. I brought my attention back to her and she frowned at me. "Did she break it?"

I burrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Did she break it?" Heather said again. This time, she tapped the part of her chest where her heart was.

I nodded and said sadly, "Yeah."

"Its okay, Daddy." Heather said reaching over and hugging me from side. I found it amusing that Heather was trying to comfort me over something that had happened many years ago.

"I'm fine, sweetheart." I said hugging her back. "Everything is fine-"

Suddenly, I heard a loud snore coming from the other side of the couch. I looked over to Mark in a deep sleep. His arms were hanging over the arm of the couch. His legs were stretched out in front of him and his mouth was wide open. I shook my head. "And this is why we have a bedtime, Heather."

"How could he fall asleep during this story?" Heather asked. In Mark's defense, he had just come in that morning on a red eye flight. I was actually surprised that he stayed awake that long.

"What time is it?" I asked absentmindedly, before looking down at my watch. "It's 8:45."

"I have fifteen minutes left!" Heather said quickly. I looked her and could tell that she wanted me to continue the story. I would have continued if I hadn't suddenly been hit by a wave of fatigue. I had only slept for an hour in the last 24 hours. I needed sleep, too.

"Let's call it a night, Heather." I said on yawn. I looked over to a sprawled out Mark. "Mark, wake up."

Mark responded with a noise that was somewhere between a snort and a snore. I said again, "Mark, wake up."

Mark jolted up with his eyes still half-lidded. "Huh?" He said rubbing his eyes. He looked over to us. "Why did I miss?"

"Santana isn't mom." Heather said opening her notebook. She was crossing off more notes in her notebooks.

"Not surprising." Mark said.

Heather raised her eyebrows and looked at Mark. "Why isn't it surprising?"

"Ummm…" Mark said before looking over at me. I nodded as a signal that he could continue. "Santana only has one kid. Matt, my brother, is his dad. His name is MJ."

"MJ?" Heather asked. "Like after Michael Jackson?"

"No, no." Mark said chuckling. "MJ stands for Matt Jr."

"What is he like?" Heather asked.

"Ummmm..." Mark said rubbing the back of his neck. "Skinny, glasses, kinda nerdy…" He put his hand out to gauge MJ's height from the ground. "About this tall. A little taller than you."

"Alright. I think it's time for sleep." I interjected. I was this tired and it was only Tuesday. It was going to be a _long week_. "Heather, go get ready for bed."

"Wait! I have one more question. Just one." Heather said quickly as if to convince me the question would be fast.

I sighed. "What's the question?"

"Where is Santana now?"

"She is a reporter for CNN." I said

Heather's eyes bulged at the statement. "That's where I know her! I saw her on TV."

I nodded. "Bedtime."

Heather nodded and walked back to her room.

"I'm going to bed, too." Mark said standing up.

"Wait, Mark. There are a few things I need to tell you. The couch in the basement pulls out into a bed and I cleared the bookshelf down there. You can put your things there until I can get you a dresser. Be ready to leave for school by 7am. I'll give you a ride." I said. I stood up and started to walk to the hall toward my room.

"Sam, wait." Mark said tentatively.

I turned around and looked at him. "Yeah?"

"Thank-you for letting me stay here." Mark said. "I realize that I've been sorta rude when you were just tryin to help me."

"Your welcome."

Mark nodded before walking toward to the door next to the kitchen. He opened the door and walked down the stairs to the basement.

I picked up the box from the table and put it back on the top shelf in my closet in my room. Then I walked to Heather's room. She was sitting in bed writing to her notebook. I watched in amusement at how focused she was reading over her notes. I don't know how long I was standing there, but at one point Heather said:

"I promise, I'm going to bed, now!" Heather said scribbling one last note.

"That wasn't…I was just thinking."

"Thinking about mom?" Heather asked curiously. She seemed to be prying for a way to talk about her even more. I look at her and debate to whether to indulge Heather any longer. My eyes and legs both felt heavy. But as I looked at Heather with her legs pulled to her chin with arms wrapped around them as she rocked back and forth, I could tell she really wanted more information. "I was thinking about you. But we can talk more if you want."

"Really?" She said quickly, eagerly. Then she softened some of excitement in her voice. "I mean, I know you're tired…"

"It's fine." I said on a yawn.

"Dad, you're tired." Heather protested.

"Heather, its fine."

I walked over to the chair that was near her bed. Mr. Big Bear was in the chair. I picked up the huge teddy bear that Mr. and Mrs. Hummel had sent Heather one Christmas. I always thought it was unusual that they had sent a Valentine's Day looking bear for Christmas. However, they must have known something I didn't since Heather took to it right away. She even named it within the few minutes of holding it.

"_I think I'll call you, Mr. Big Bear!"a five-year old Heather exclaimed on Christmas morning. I laughed as Heather hugged the Bear but she then fall down as the bear hugged back. The toy bear was much bigger than her._

"_Not funny, daddy." She said laughing._

_I walked over and picked her up. Heather shook her head. "Put me down. I'm too old."_

"_You know you love it." I said and she smiled at me. "Come on, we got to get ready to go Uncle Puck's to meet everyone. It had been a tradition started a few years ago. Heather and I would go to my parents' for Christmas Eve and on Christmas, we would go over to Puck. Anyone from glee who was in Cleveland would go to Puck's for Christmas. _

I sat the bear down on her floor next her bed. I sat down in the chair that Blaine had brought for the room when it was decorated seven years ago. As I looked around, I noticed a lot of things that were gifts from her glee aunts and uncles. Broadway posters on walls from Rachel. Jewelry box from Kurt and Blaine. A 'Belle' doll that she got as a souvenir from a trip to Disney World with Puck, Lauren, and their family. A floral comforter from Mike and Tina. A Miami Dolphins sweater from Matt. A notebook from Artie. I wondered if Heather knew how much she was loved. I had one gift from her mother in that box that I had showed her earlier. Soon, I would give it to her.

I moved in the chair and I heard it creak. I never really liked this chair. However, as tired as I was, at that moment, the creaky, old, hard chair was the most comfortable piece I had ever sat in. I leaned my head against the wall and closed my eyes.

"Daddy, you're falling asleep!" Heather said

I shook my head. "No, I was just thinking…"

"You've been thinking a lot." Heather said. "Can you tell me what my mom was like?"

"Your mom is caring, loving." I said with my eyes still closed. "Your mom was smart and strong. She loved you and only wanted the best for you."

"Why do you talk about her in past and present tense?"

I opened my eyes and looked at her. "What?"

"This is the first time I ever noticed it." Heather said. "You talk about her in past and present tense." Heather wrote more notes down in her notebook.

"Ummm…Heather-" I said on a yawn.

"Good night, Dad. You're tired. I'll question you tomorrow." Heather said before she put her notebook on the nightstand and put underneath the floral comforter.

"Good night, Heather." I said. I walked back into my room. I got in my bed and fell asleep in two minutes.

* * *

><p>After dropping off Heather at school the next morning, Mark and I walk in the crowded high school. I'm used to navigating the crowded high school halls, but Mark doesn't seem to be adjusted yet. I looked back and Mark was being pushed at least six people behind me. Mark yelled, "I'm going straight to class!" I nodded in his direction and walked off to the counselor's office.<p>

First period started when the bell rang. I walked out of my office to see ten kids standing in the outer room and some lining the hall to the counselor's office. The secretary looked slightly overwhelmed trying to sign in at least ten more students in a line going out of the door and answering calls. I sigh and think, _"It's going to be a long morning"._ I call the first student back to my office to try to get all of these kids seen.

The morning actually flies. Keeping busy really does make the day go by faster. I've seen about twenty students so far and it isn't even one o' clock yet. It has been mostly panicked seniors who just realized they are graduating and a few students having social problems, and one overly prepared sophomore asking for a letter of recommendation –two years in advance of graduation. I look at my schedule and see that I have one more student. There is no name on the list. I like to prepare for the student I'm going to see by looking over their file. I walked out into the outer waiting room.

"Loretta." I said. The secretary looks up and smiles. Loretta is an older woman with an affection for what she calls "old school R&B". She often plays it when the traffic to the counselor's office is low. I'm starting to really grow fond of the music. The sound has become a signal that I have free time to go through my pile of other work.

"Yes, Sam."

"Do you know who my next appointment is?"

"Let me take a look." Loretta goes into the appointment database set up on her computer. While she is going through the database, she says, "How is it going, Sam?"

"It's going."

She smiles, but her eyes stay on the computer screen. "That doesn't sound good. Don't worry it'll get better. Mark seems like a good boy."

"How did you-"

"I wouldn't let him back yesterday, but he said he lived with you. So that's the only reason I let him back while you had another student."

I nodded. "I'm getting used to it."

Loretta nodded. "How is little Heather? Sweet as ever?"

I smiled. I would always be grateful to Loretta. The steroids lie was-_is_ still following me when I applied for this job. The school administers thought I would be a bad influence on the students. Besides Artie, she was the only who said that they should hire me. "Yeah, she is doing great."

"Okay, here we go." Loretta said. "You're next appointment is-"

"Me." said the daughter of the woman I had given a promise ring to about 15 years ago. The blonde stood in the doorway.

"Come on back, Beth."

"Oh, you're back." Loretta said reaching underneath her desk. After a few moments, Loretta pulled out a new box of tissues and put them on her desk. "I'll have the tissues ready for that child."

* * *

><p>Sitting in the chair across from my desk, Beth looked more together than she had looked yesterday.<p>

"So, how are you, Beth?"

"Good. I meant even say great."

I looked at her surprised. "May I ask what caused this turnaround?"

Beth smiled. "It was Mark, actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We had a heart to heart yesterday and he made me realize that my mom gave me a gift. I can finally figure out who I am….I'm going to find my parents." Beth shuffled through her bag. "I actually already found the address of my father."

"Great. How is your mom doing?"

"She is good. She told that she supports me 100%."

"Great."

"Mr. Evans, I wanted to thank-you. Also, I wanted to give this to you to give to Mark." Beth handed me a picture.

"What is this?" It was a picture of an African-American woman and boy blowing out six candles on a birthday cake.

"It is a picture of Mark and his mom. I think he dropped on the stage yesterday…it seemed really important to him."

"Stage?"

Beth blushed. "Um...yeah, we were singing together…"

"Sounds like fun. Wait, I thought singing was gross."

"I didn't say gross. I said 'ewww'." Beth said. "Okay, maybe it was a little fun. Anyway, I have to go. Next period is about to start."

I nodded. "Okay. Come back if you need to talk."

"Thanks. Oh. I do have one question."

"What?"

"I'm having a really hard time finding an address for my biological mom, Lucy. Do you know a better way to find people than Google?"

I smiled. "Take it one at a time. I'm sure that you'll get answers from your dad."

* * *

><p>I went to the teacher's lounge to eat and plan the 16th annual Fall talent show. A show I had never planned before and didn't want to plan. Artie had volunteered us without telling me<p>

At first, I was annoyed but I wanted to take part after I found out the cause. The show helps raise money for the arts department in collaboration with its sister school, which was Heather's school.

I already had my guitar club students scheduled to perform to their dismay. I felt their pain. It was considered an uncool show to perform for. I felt like Mr. Schue for making them do it, but we were in desperate need of performers.

The sound of the heavy door opening and closing echoed in the room. I expected to see Artie, but was surprised when Mike sat down across from me in a chair.

"Mike? What are you doing here?" I asked putting down my coffee on the table between us. "How did you get pass school security?"

Mike looked at me in disbelief. "Seriously, Sam? Are you asking me how I got pass those two guards? The overly pregnant woman who doesn't look like she can even stand and the 80-year-old man that is one hard sneeze away from breaking a hip?"

I chuckled. "Budget cuts. Still, what are you doing here?"

"Don't sound so happy to see me." Mike said sarcastically.

"Always good to see you man, but I don't show up to your job randomly." I said

"Artie told me to come."

"Why?"

As if on cue, Artie opened the door in a dramatic fashion. His face stern and serious, he rolled up until he was next to us. "I'm glad you're both here."

"Artie, what is going on?" Mike asked, looking toward Artie.

"Guys, things just got real."

I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "What are you talking about?"

"Dr. Green said that you and I couldn't top the fall concert that he put together last year." Artie said.

I looked at him confused. "Who cares?"

"I care! This is the last straw. I will not take his disrespect anymore. His wheelchair jokes are insensitive. And I'm tired of him saying that I'm unqualified to teach African-American and Asian-American history courses-"

"But you aren't really qualified…" I said slowly, hesitantly.

"You teach Asian-American history?" Mike asked

"Focus!" Artie said quickly looking between us. "Dr. Green needs to go down. Him and his stupid corner office. And his stupid PhD." Artie began in a mocking voice, "Oh, my name is Dr. Green and I have a PhD. I could teach college….Jerk."

I laughed. Artie strongly disliked Dr. Green, like most people in the school. Dr. Green always carried a superior attitude.

"Why am I here?" Mike asked.

"The show that Sam and I put has to be the best the school has ever seen. We need professional dancers." Artie said putting his hand on Mike's shoulder. "I was hoping I could get the friend discount…"

"Friend Discount?" Mike asked.

"Our entire budget is only $150 dollars…I'll pay you back in babysitting."

"$100…" I said slowly, correcting him.

"What?" Artie asked. "Who is messing with my money?"

"I forgot to tell you. The school financial officer took $50 out of the budget. They need to get the spray painting message off of the side of the school. They needed to get it professionally cleaned."

"I saw that when I was driving in!" Mike said. "Was it a senior prank?"

"Beth said she and her friends were making a statement."

"Beth?" Artie said. "Damnit Puck! I'm getting the $50 dollars from him."

Mike shook his head. "You can't do that. Does Puck know yet?"

I shook my head. "I called again. He is still out of town. Beth is going to try and contact him." Just then, my cell phone buzzed and I fished it out of my pocket. I half-heard what Artie was saying. I read the front of my phone. It was a text from Mark.

_Can I hang out with a friend afterschool?_

I was surprised Mark had made friends to hang out with so fast. I figured there was no harm in him having some fun.

_Be back by curfew._

He texted back immediately.

_Thanks_

"Sam, are you even listening?" Artie asked.

I put my cell phone back into my phone and answered honestly, "No."

"Well, I said that I think we should have an open talent show this year." Artie said. "Instead of making the glee club, drama club, and your guitar club perform. We could even ask the kids from the sister elementary school if they want to perform."

"Great Idea." I said. "I'm sure Heather would love to sing."

"Great! We can add Heather to other three acts." Artie said. "I will beat Dr. Green's 'money raised amount' if it kills me."

"How much did he raise?" Mike asked.

"$650." Artie said.

"Seriously?" Mike said. "Can I just give you the money and you pretend that it was raised?"

"It is the principle of the matter." Artie said. "I want to beat him 'fair and square' to shut him up."

The bell rang for next period. Artie sighed. "Sam, prepare. Mike, think about what I have said." Artie said leaving the room. The door closed.

"I'll pay for the dancers." I said.

Mike waved his hand. "Don't worry about it. So, how far are you in the story with Heather?"

"Steroids story just broke." I said

"Oh. Yeah, that wasn't your best day."

I laughed thinking back to that day. Then my mindset turned more serious. There was something I had been thinking about asking Mike for awhile. I figured now would be the best time. "Mike, there is something I wanted to ask you."

"What is it?"

"With everything that has been going on with Heather and this story, I've been thinking. If anything ever happened to me-"

Mike shook his head. "Nothing is going to happen to you, Sam."

"_If anything ever happened to me_," I said again, this time stressing the statement. "I want you and Tina to be Heather's godparents.

"Wow." Mike said sitting up straight.

'Wow' was all he had said. Then it was silent. I wasn't sure if he was shocked or trying to think of a nice way to 'no'. After a few seconds, I asked, "What do you think?"

"I'm surprised. _Honored_." Mike said. "Honestly, I thought the logical choice would have been Kurt and Blaine.

"Yeah, I thought about them, but Heather's life is here in Ohio. I wouldn't want her to move away if she didn't have to."

Mike nodded. "I have to talk with Tina about it, but I'm sure the answer is yes."

* * *

><p>As soon as Heather and I walked through the door of our house, Heather ran to her room to get her notebook as usual. I sat down on the couch and it wasn't long before Heather was back in the room, plopping down next to me on the couch.<p>

"Start the story, Daddy."

"Hold on, Heather. Tell me how your day was at school?" I asked. "You were quiet on the ride home."

Heather shrugged her shoulders and mumbled, "It was okay."

I shook my head. "No, it's not. What happened?"

Heather shrugged again and looked to the side.

"Don't do that Heather. Don't shut me out." I said. "You can talk to me about whatever it is."

Heather looked up at me. "I don't like Melissa anymore."

"Your new friend? Why not?" I asked. Many reasons ran through my head as to why. I settled on the one I feared the most to make sure it wasn't true. "Is she bullying you?"

"No, no, no!" Heather said quickly. "I'm not being bullied…you'll think I'm stupid."

"I won't. Sweetheart, I could never think you're stupid."

"Melissa is taking everything that is mine. She is stealing my life."

I couldn't help but chuckle at Heather's accusations. "Stealing your life?"

Heather looked at me shocked before putting a throw pillow from the couch over her face. "You laughed! You think I'm stupid."

"I don't think you're stupid." I said gently pulling the throw pillow from her face. "Sweetie, no one can steal your life."

"Melissa has." Heather retorted. "She took my solo-"

"Heather, I thought we agreed that you can't win everything." I said reminding her of our conversation yesterday.

"The solo was the first thing. Today, she was named student of the month. I always get student of the month! Then, she took the Nancy Drew to read during reading time. Everyone knows the Nancy Drew book is mine! Then she…"

I listened as Heather listed all of the things Melissa had taken from her. It amazed me. I had I spoiled her? When did my little girl start to feel so entitled? "Heather-"

"The last thing was that…" Heather said sadly. "Katy picked her first in gym." Heather looked like she may cry and that's when I figured out what was really wrong. Heather wasn't afraid Melissa was going to take her life, but her place with Katy. "Dad, Katy is _my_ best friend! She has been my best friend since I can remember!"

"And she still is. You know Katy is extremely competitive like her mother." I said thinking back to glee club.

"Melissa is a little better athletically." Heather said on a shrug. "I guess I'm overreacting?"

"A little."

"Can we start the story?" Heather asked. "Please?"

I nodded. "Sure. Okay, so the next part of the story starts in April of that year-"

I was interrupted by the sound of the door bell ringing.

"Who is that?" Heather asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. It may be Mark." I stood up and walked into the foyer to answer the door. I opened it to see Kurt and Blaine.

"Hello, Sam." Kurt said while Blaine nodded.

"Hey guys. Come in." I said stepping to the side, so they could walk in. "How is everything going?"

"Good." Blaine said. "Except from the constant calls from the law firm. Apparently, the words 'I'm on vacation' mean nothing."

"As for me, it has been chaotic." Kurt said. "Deshawn booked the _wrong_ hall. It wouldn't have been a problem, if the invitations weren't sent out months ago. I went to the right place and it was booked up for five months _straight._ I nearly had a heart attack but I regained my composure." Kurt shook his head and sighed seemingly thinking back on the moment. "Luckily, I was able to find out who was holding an event at the right hall during the week of the Jones anniversary party. I had to bribe a sixteen old to move her party to our hall and let us have her hall."

"How did you manage that?" I asked

"$200, Broadway tickets for five people, and she will get a personal backstage tour with Rachel." Kurt said putting his and Blaine's coats on the coat rack. "It was some tough negotiations with that little brat."

"You should have let me handle her." Blaine said. "I do negotiate and convince for a living."

"You weren't there. It was a now or never moment, babe." Kurt said. "As for Deshawn, I have given all of his duties to Miranda."

"That's his wife, right?" I asked

"Yeah, this whole process should go a lot smoother now." Kurt said. "Deshawn is like a brother to me, but he is the _most_ disorganized person I have ever met in my life. Miranda is definitely the better choice to help with this."

"Why isn't Mercedes helping?" I asked Kurt flatly. "Why is it just you and Deshawn?"

"Well, Mercedes is busy-" Blaine said.

"This is her parents' anniversary." I said a little more harshly then I intended. "She should help."

Kurt winced, before he said, "That's not fair. She wants to help, but she is on tour. Mercedes cannot help plan a party from Arizona or whatever state she is in today. She is too far away."

"Mercedes is always away." I said

Kurt shook his head. "Okay, Sam. If I remember correctly, you were the one always telling her to follow her dreams. You were always pushing her away and you were the one who told her to leave."

This time, I winced. "I know but it would have been nice for her to push back."

"What does that mean?" Kurt asked

"Nothing." I regretted bringing it up.

"It isn't nothing." Blaine said. "Did you want her to fight back for you?"

"Drop it." I said quickly. "Umm…Heather is in the living room. She'll be ecstatic to see you guys."

Kurt smiled. "That wasn't a denial."

"This conversation is over." I said walking back into the living room. "I'm sorry I brought it up."

* * *

><p>To say Heather was excited to see Kurt and Blaine was an understatement. During the next half-hour, there was a lot of laughter, hugs, smiles, and summer vacation planning. Then Heather excitedly told them how far we had gotten in the story. When she got to the last part, the door bell rang again. I walked in the living room and opened the door. It was Mike.<p>

"Come in, Mike." I said. "What's up?

"I wanted to talk to you about the godparents thing." Mike said. Then there was eruption of laughter coming from the living room. "Is somebody here?"

"Kurt and Blaine are here." I said. Again, there was more laughter.

"Wow. Are you sure you picked the right people? Heather sure sounds happy with them." Mike said.

"I have already given it a lot of thought and I made my decision." I said. "Want to come in the living room?"

"Sure."

Mike and I walked back in the laughter filled living room.

"Mike!" Kurt said standing up and hugging Mike. "I haven't seen you in forever."

"Good to see you too, Kurt." Mike said returning the hug.

Kurt pulled away before Blaine said, "Hey, Mike."

"Hey Blaine."

"Hi, Uncle Mike!" Heather said.

"Heather, how is the story going?" Mike asked.

"Santana isn't my mom." Heather said.

"Thank god." Mike said.

I elbowed Mike in the side and he shrugged in response.

"Anyway-" I started to say, but the door bell rang _again_.

"What is this a party?" Mike asked.

I shook my head, before walking back into the foyer. I opened the door. This time, it was Rachel.

"I'm ready for my close up." Rachel said leaning on the doorway with one arm.

"Hollywood." I said giving Rachel a hug. Hollywood had become my nickname for Rachel ever since she and Kurt's play opened. Rachel didn't care for the nickname. She told me to at least call her Broadway instead, but Hollywood stuck. It had since grown on her. "Congrats on the Tony."

"Thanks. It happened a while ago, but I'm still on Cloud 9." Rachel said

I nodded before motioning for her to come in. "Kurt, Blaine and Mike are in the living room with Heather." I said taking her coat and putting it on the coat rack.

"Oh! How is my little diva?" Rachel asked.

"Great. She has been asking for you."

"Well, I will make her wait no longer." Rachel said walking in the living room.

I heard Heather before I saw her. I smirked. Heather had almost yelled "Aunt Rachel!" before running over to hug her. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, sweetie." I walked back in the living room to see everyone greeting each other.

Rachel sat down next to Heather on the couch. "Now, have you been doing the voice exercises that I taught you?"

Heather nodded. "I have, but they really didn't help me."

"What do you mean? Why not?"

"I started a glee club at school."

"You started a glee club?" Rachel asked excited.

"I-we're so proud of you." Kurt added.

"Well, the exercises must have worked." Rachel said. "If your voice was in shape to start a glee club."

Heather nodded again. "Well, the thing is I tried out for the solo part of our first performance."

"And you got the solo of course." Rachel said. "My future starlet."

Heather shook her head, almost embarrassed to admit it. "No, the new girl, well _my friend_, Melissa got the solo. She sang better than me…"

Rachel's face fell. "Melissa? She took your spot?"

"Oh, God…" Mike mumbled.

"I did everything you said, Aunt Rachel. I practiced and picked a song that would show her my voice the best…but I still lost." Heather looked up to Rachel and didn't want to disappoint her.

"That's okay, sweetie. Better luck next time." Rachel said.

"I should have done better this time. Maybe, I'm not good enough…"

Rachel shook her head. "I don't want to hear that. Don't be so hard on yourself. All of the greats have had sent backs." Rachel grabbed Heather's hand. "You are a great singer. What do I always tell you?"

Heather smiled. "They can't take away my talent."

"Exactly. Now give me a hug." Rachel said. Heather gave Rachel a hug as Rachel ran her fingers through Heather's straight, brown hair. I was happy that Heather had a mother figure at least some of the time between Tina and Rachel. Then I saw Kurt try to inconspicuously mouth 'What are we going to do?' to Rachel. Rachel shook her head. I thought that was odd.

"My dad is telling me the story about mom." Heather said with her head still pressed against Rachel. Rachel pulled her away gently and looked in her eyes. The worry was apparent on her face.

"Sam told you about what happened in the emergency room?" Rachel asked

"Rachel!" Blaine said quickly to stop her. Kurt winced, while Mike rubbed his hand to his forehead.

"I didn't." I said

"What emergency room?" Heather asked. Then she sunk down into her seat on the couch. A realization hit her. "This story doesn't have a happy ending, does it?

"Sweetie, I'm so-I'm-…I'm an idiot." Rachel mumbled.

"Did my mom die in child birth?" Heather asked.

Everyone silently looked to me for the answer. Even though Mike, Blaine, Kurt, and Rachel were there that day, they probably thought it was best that I answer. "No, she didn't die in childbirth."

"No." I said.

"Well, is she dead or alive?" Heather asked.

"I told you, Heather. I can't answer that. It's complicated." I answered. "Honestly, it is."

"No! Mark was right. It is a yes or no answer. Please just tell me." Heather said. I saw that she was on the verge of tears. As mature as Heather acted sometimes, I forgot she is only nine.

"Heather, calm down." Rachel said reaching for her arm. Heather snatched her arm away. The action putting hurt on Rachel face.

"I won't. Apparently, everyone knows except for me. I'm tired of everyone lying to me." Heather said. "Will I ever see my mom? Can you answer me that, dad?"

I stood there, not sure of what to say. I didn't know. I decided flattery may be the best route to calm her down. "Do you want me to tell you the end or do you want to solve the mystery? Like the great detective you are."

Heather calmed down some and crossed her arms. "Do you promise that I will know what happened?"

I walked over and crouched down in front of her. We were face to face. "I promise." I said. "Heather, why don't you go and get your notebook, so you can show Aunt Rachel?"

Heather nodded and walked back into her room. I waited until I heard her door shut until I started talking. "Great." I said sarcastically.

"I'm so sorry, Sam."

"It's fine." I said plopping down on the couch. I took a deep breath.

"Did she say Mark was here?" Rachel asked. "Is Matt in town?"

"Matt will be here soon." I said. "Mark is living here."

"What!" Kurt, Blaine, and Rachel said in unison.

"Please, can we not talk about it? That is another long story that I know nothing about." I said. "Do you guys think I told Heather too soon? You should have seen her. I mean she freaked out when I told her about Santana. I haven't even gotten to the emergency room part yet."

"I think she is going to freak out, regardless of what age she is." Rachel said. "I'll help you, Sam. I think I'll be best person to talk to her."

"That statement is arguable, but we'll all be here." Kurt said.

Mike and Blaine nodded.

"Um…I know that you don't want to talk about it, Sam, but…"

I sighed. "What is it, Rachel?"

"Well, do you think Matt may get here in the same timeframe that I'm here?" Rachel asked quickly.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know."

"This is not about you right now Rachel." Kurt said.

"It was one quick yes or no question." Rachel added. "Actually…one more question…is he single?"

"Ignoring Rachel." Kurt said. "Did Heather say who she thought her mom was?"

I shook my head. "I wonder what is taking Heather so long." I said before getting off the couch. I walked down the hall to her room. I knocked on the closed door. "Sweetheart?"

There was no answer, so I opened it to something I didn't ever want to see. The sight of Heather crying silently on the bed broke my heart. Heather saw me and tried to wipe away the tears quickly with sleeves of her shirt. I walked over and sat on the bed facing her. I looked at her in silence. Heather continued to look at purple sleeves, which had seemingly become the most fascinating thing in the world. I broke the silence first,

"I'll skip to the end. I will tell you everything right now. I don't want you in this kind of pain or agony, sweetheart." I said. "I'm sorry. I thought making it a mystery would be a fun way to tell you-"

"A sad ending." Heather said flatly as tears began rolling down her face. She didn't even try wiping them away this time. With puffy eyes, red cheeks, and tears rolling down her face, Heather couldn't hide the fact that she was crying now. The silence of her crying was what pained me the most. I never want Heather to go through pain in silence. I wiped away the tears.

"It depends on how you look at it." I said. "Do you want to know?"

Heather looked at me before shaking her head. "Nancy Drew didn't cheat. Neither will I. I'm going to figure this out myself. I mean…how many times do I actually get to solve a real life mystery?"

Heather got off the bed and walked over to her bathroom. "I'll be out in a minute."

I nodded and Heather opened her bathroom door. "Heather-"

Heather stopped and looked at me, standing in the doorway. "Yes?"

"I love you."

Heather smiled. "I love you, more Daddy."

"Not possible."

Heather closed the door and I walked out of her room to rejoin everyone in the living room. I stopped midway in the hall when I heard whispered arguing coming from the living room. The whispered arguing was about Mrs. Jones…and me. I moved to the side of the hallway so they couldn't see me. I listened and watched.

"What the hell are we going to do?" Kurt said. "Sam will be so angry when he finds out."

"I don't know." Blaine said. "I still can't believe Mrs. Jones would go there-"

"Why not? She is playing God!" Mike said quietly, harshly. "Do you know how much sleep I've lost over this? I promised after the Matt/Santana fiasco that I would never keep a secret from a friend this big."

"Why did you agree to keep this secret with us all those years ago?" Blaine asked

"Tina made me promise." Mike said pacing back and forth. "God, this isn't right. Sam is my best friend."

"Don't you think we feel guilty too?" Blaine said "Hopefully, Sam won't figure it out."

"If Sam doesn't figure it out, Heather will!" Rachel said quickly.

Blaine shook his head. "Heather is smart, but she won't connect those dots."

"I hope Sam does figure it out." Kurt said.

There was silence, but then I heard Rachel ask, "Why? I thought…"

"Sam deserves the truth." Kurt said. "So does Heather and everyone in that situation. Plus, I hate these secrets. It engulfs me with guilt every time I see Sam."

I know the entire group had agreed to keep this big secret from Heather, but what secrets were they keeping from me?

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" I asked walking into the room. "I thought no one knew anything about why Mrs. Jones was at Heather's school."

The room was filled shocked silence.

Rachel stood up quickly, as if she was repelled from the couch. "It isn't our place to tell you."

"Whose place is it?" I asked. "Are you guys going to make drive to Lima and ask Mrs. Jones what is going on myself?"

The blood seemingly drained from all of their faces. The tension and silence in the room was thick. Mike broke the silence, "Don't do that."

"Why not? What are you keeping from me, Mike?" I asked. "Maybe you aren't the right person to be Heather's godfather-"

Mike stood shocked. "You don't mean that."

"Wait! You made Mike and Tina, the godparents?" Kurt said outraged. With the amount of anger and indignation in his voice, you would've thought I'd just told him the sky was red instead of blue.

"Kurt, calm down." Blaine said quickly, grabbing Kurt's shoulder.

"I will not!" Kurt said still outraged. "No offense to them, but Blaine and I should automatically become the godparents of Heather. You should have discussed this with us first.

"Excuse me-"

Kurt continued. "Don't forgot that you needed our help to get full custody of her."

I stared at Kurt angrily. "I'm her dad. I get the final say."

Kurt rolled his eyes.

"I'm not sure if I can trust any of you anymore." I said. "What is going on-?"

"I got my notebook." Heather said walking back into the room. Heather frowned picking up on the tension in the room. "Why is everyone upset?"

"I think we should go." Rachel said nervously as if the thick tension in the room had taken her breath.

"You just got here, Aunt Rachel." Heather said sadly. Heather walked over. Her arms wrapped Rachel in a tight hug. My expression softened at the disappointment in Heather's voice. "Don't go."

"I'll be back, before I leave. I promise." Rachel said before returning a big hug to Heather. "See ya later, pretty girl." Rachel let go and started to walk toward the foyer.

"See ya later." Blaine said following her.

Kurt nodded quickly and walked out too. I heard the door open and I saw Mike start to leave.

"Mike, please tell me." I said. Mike looked at me sad, guilty. Then he glanced at Heather before he said, "This isn't the appropriate time. See ya later, Heather."

Mike walked toward the foyer. I heard the door close.

"What is going on Dad? Why was everyone sad?" Heather asked.

I looked down at Heather, and didn't know what to say. I wish I knew what had just been discussed in my living room.

I guess I now knew what Heather must be going through. As nervous as I was about telling her the ending, I knew Heather must be going through something worse. After the confrontation with my former glee mates, I stood there racked with questions. I know had my own personal mystery. I was curious, anxious, and slightly afraid of the truth, but I was going to find out the truth. I finally said, "I don't know."

"There are a lot of things you don't know, Daddy." Heather said before sitting down on the couch.

I laughed genuinely. "You're right." The truth was, at this point, I didn't even know my friends. "How about we start the story?"

"Please." Heather said.

"Well, it was April of that year…"

* * *

><p>Ever since the news had broken out, everyone on campus avoided me like the plague. I felt like a leper and most people wouldn't come near me, in fear that scandal and embarrassment would spread to them. I heard whispers behind me. These whispers were worse than the homeless whispers. At least, the homeless whispers were true. I saw the horrible things people wrote in the school newspaper. The worst was when someone wrote 'DRUGGIE' diagonally in permanent marker on my dorm door. Months later, Matt still hated my guts. Also, I felt guilty that Coach Sullivan was suspended for four games, because of me.<p>

However, I was fortunate that I had not only my own family, but my glee family to support me. Everyone always told me to keep my head up, and to ignore the media, but it was hard. My story had sparked a national debate on steroids and professional sports.

It was Saturday and I was at home with my family. I felt safe and unjudged there. It was also the draft day and I didn't want to be at school.

My dad made me watch the NFL draft. I don't know why I had buried my dreams of the NFL when Santana's story was released. The nail in the coffin was when the owner of the Tennessee Titans was asked by a reporter about whether the Titans would still draft me. The owner said in response, 'We look for real talent. Not drug-induced.' I think those words became etched in my brain after that.

My family sat and watched as the draft started. The Titans were first, since they had traded two second round draft picks to another team for the very first pick. I sat and waited for the Titans to pick someone. Someone I knew wasn't going to be me.

"Oh, Sam." My mother said. "I forgot to give this letter. You got it today in the mail." My mom handed me the letter from the table next to her. I looked at the letter. It was a letter from Quinn. I opened it.

_Dear Sam,_

_ I hope this letter finds you well. I'm sending you the promise necklace we made that one day in the library. I hope it brings you luck. Don't roll your eyes, because it is LUCKY. I know you don't believe it is, because it didn't help you get to Mercedes in time. But you didn't wear it around your neck. Sam, wear the necklace, I don't care if it looks girly. I really hope it brings you luck. I know you need some. _

_Anyway, I know the steroid story has been hard on you. I know you have probably already been given this advice, but don't let it get you down. The people, who matter, know it isn't true. Your family and friends know the truth, and we will help you to clear your name somehow._

_Love Quinn_

_ P.S. - I have big news but I think Finn wants to be the one to tell you. _

I wondered what the big news was. I pulled the promise ring-_necklace_ from the envelope and put it around my neck. What could it hurt?

"The Titans are ready!" Stevie said excitedly. My family still had hope that they would pick me. I was glad someone had hope that a team would pick me.

The announcer said, "Titans have made their decision. They have chosen as quarterback-"

"Sam." My mom said hopefully. I wasn't sure if she was talking to me or vicariously making the announcer to say my name.

"Victor Thomas out of UCLA."

I shook my head. "I knew it."

I heard a two small disappointed sighs from my mom and Stacy. I felt my dad's hand grip my shoulder. "They missed out on you."

"Their loss is someone else's gain." Stevie said.

* * *

><p>We watched as the Seahawks and the Redskins both picked running backs. Next the Cleveland Browns were up.<p>

The announcer said, "The Cleveland Browns have made their decision. They have chosen kicker, Matthew Rutherford, out of Ohio State." I smiled as Matt's face flashed across the screen. I wanted to call and congratulate him, but I didn't. I knew Matt didn't want to hear from me and I didn't want to ruin his moment in anyway.

"Isn't that your friend?" Stevie asked.

I half-smiled. "Was."

"What happened?" Stacy asked.

"It's a long story, Stacey." I said standing up. I walked over to the coat. I grabbed my coat and keys. "I'm going for a drive to clear my head."

"Don't you want to watch the draft?" My mom asked.

"Mom, let's face it. I'm not getting drafted."

"Oh, Sam-"

"It's fine." I said opening the door. "I've come to terms with it."

"Have a little faith, son." My dad said.

I shook my head. "I'll be back." I walked down our walkway to my car parked on the street. Mr. Burt had fixed my car after the airport incident, and it never broke down again. I turned the car on and drove.

I drove for at least twenty minutes I think…I lost track of time. I got lost in the feeling of the wind rushing in through the rolled down window and country music dancing from the speakers to my ears. I was in my own world. There was only one part missing. I pulled down the flap containing the mirror above my head. Next to the mirror, there was a taped picture of Mercedes and me at junior prom. Sometimes, I wished I could go back to that time, when I had who I was missing. At that moment, my phone rang and I debated whether to answer it. I didn't want to stop my drive. It felt good. I sighed and pulled my car over, concluding that it meant be an emergency. I looked at the caller ID and saw it was Mercedes.

I clicked the answer button. "Hello."

"Sam?" Mercedes said nervously. "Um…I…" Then I heard her sigh as if she was getting her bearings together.

"Yeah, it's me. How are you, Cedes?"

"Great." Mercedes said before she hesitantly said, "Are you okay?"

"I guess you heard."

"Yeah…"

"Well then, you know, you probably shouldn't be talking to me." I said.

"Why?"

"Are you sure you want people to know that we know each other. I can hear it know. _Pop singer associates herself with drug addict_." I winced at my own words, and I felt Mercedes wince through the phone.

"Sam, don't talk about yourself like that." Mercedes said. "I know the story isn't true. You know it isn't true."

I sighed. "I know but I'm reminded constantly on the computer, the newspaper, and especially on television."

"Sam, what happened exactly?" Mercedes asked. "I was going to call Santana and then curse her out, but Kurt told me about her condition. It didn't feel right cursing out a pregnant woman."

I laughed. I was about to tell her everything that had happened, but I stopped. "I don't think I should."

"What? Why not?"

"I don't know…" I said playfully. "The last girl I told turned me into a national scandal."

"True…but I won't tell." Mercedes said playfully back. "I promise."

"Prove it."

"Ummm…well…" Mercedes said as if she was thinking hard. "I never told anyone that you watched Sesame Street until you were twelve."

"Whoa! I told you not to ever repeat that." I said.

"Sam, I would never tell anyone. It stays between us. _Your secrets are safe with me…"_ Mercedes started to softly sing 'Diary' by Alicia Keys. "_Just think of me as the pages in your diary…"_

"I love hearing you sing." I admitted.

Mercedes stopped singing and said, "I love hearing you sing. But you already know that."

I smiled. Mercedes and I talked for about an hour about her life, my life and everything in between. I kept hearing phone signal that I had a call waiting several times, but I didn't want to stop talking to her. After awhile, I heard someone call Mercedes name in the background. Then Mercedes said, "I'm coming Emma. Sorry Sam, I have to go."

"It's fine." I said

"We have to talk more often." Mercedes said. "I miss this."

"Me too. I'll call you later." I said. Then I said almost automatically, "I love you." I immediately smacked myself in the forehead. Everything had been going good. Why did I do that? It was the truth, but it seemed inappropriate somehow. I listened for a response. There was an unbearably long silence, which was probably the worst response next to 'I don't feel the same.' "Cedes-"

"I love you, too." Mercedes said softly. "I will always love you." I heard the click. Mercedes had hung up the phone. I hung up my phone and smiled. My day was instantly better. Maybe this promise necklace did have good luck. I looked at my phone and saw that I had a slew of missed calls.

2x missed calls Puck

1x missed call Artie

4x missed calls Mom and Dad

2x missed calls Mike

1x missed call Kurt and Blaine

1x missed call Finn

What the hell happened? I turned my car on and did a quick u-turn towards home. I was afraid of what had happened. I hoped everyone was okay and that it wasn't bad news.

When I got pulled up hastily in front of my house, and parked the car. I ran up to the house and opened the door with my key. "What happened?" I yelled in the house. "Is everyone okay?"

"Sam!" My dad was sitting at the kitchen table. He walked over and hugged me like he hadn't seen me in years. "We've been calling you."

"What happened-"

"I am so proud of you."

He pulled away and looked him. My dad's face was indeed full of pride. "Why?"

"Oh, Sam!" My mom said happily. She was crying. "Stacy rewind the tape. I told you it was a good idea that we taped it."

Then Stevie ran over and hugged me. This was something that he hadn't done in a long time, since he discovered from his friends that it wasn't cool to hug.

"What is going on?" I asked Stevie. Stevie let go and smiled. "You'll see."

"Look!" Stacy said pointing to the television.

The same announcer walked in stage. Like before, he leaned into the microphone. However, unlike before, the announcer said, "The Cleveland Browns have made their decision. For their second round pick, they have chosen quarterback, Samuel Evans, out of Ohio State."

For a moment, my heart stopped.

"Oh my God…" I said slowly. All the air had come out of my lungs. I couldn't believe it. A team had picked me. Someone had taken a chance on me. I was in the NFL. I saw my face flash across the screen. During a fleeing moment, I wished I had gone to the draft ceremony and walked on stage to get my jersey. I saw the announcer hold up the number 7 jersey. I wished I was there holding the jersey, but then I looked at my family. It was funny how the gasps and boos of draft audience on TV contrasted the cheers and happy tears of my family before me. I decided that there was no better way to celebrate than with them. Here was another life changing moment. I was in the NFL and Mercedes had given me permanent real estate in her heart.

Quinn was never getting this necklace back.

* * *

><p>Later that night after my family had calmed down; we started to watch a movie. Since I had gotten drafted, I got to pick the movie. Of course, I picked Avatar. Everyone was so happy for me that no one complained. One third of the way through the movie, I heard the door bell ring.<p>

"Is anybody expecting someone?" My dad asked.

Everyone shook their heads. "I'll get it." I said before I walked over to the door. I opened the door to see Finn fiddling with his fingers on my steps. "Finn?"

Finn looked up and smiled. "Hey, Sam."

"Come in." I said stepping to the side and opening the door wider. Finn walked in the house and I closed the door. Finn greeted my family with a "Hi".

"Congratulations on the draft, Sam." Finn said. "I guess you were the better quarterback."

"Thanks." I said. "Finn, you know you're welcome here anytime, but did you drive all the way from Lima to tell me that?"

"No, I actually found out about the draft on my way here. I tried to call you, but I guess your phone must have been blowing up." Finn said. "I came here for another reason."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Well, I came to draft you as my best man." Finn said proudly. He must have thought hard about the line.

"You don't mean…"

"I asked Quinn to marry me and she said yes." Finn said smiling as big as I had ever seen him smile.

"Congratulations!" I said while giving him a quick hug. "What? When did this happen?"

"It happened a few days ago, but Quinn and I wanted to tell Burt and my mom first." Finn said. "We'll tell Quinn's mom whenever she comes back from that trip."

"I'm happy for you guys." I said genuinely.

"Well?" Finn asked

"Well what?"

"Will you be my best man?" Finn said.

"Of course, I will." I said before turning to my family.

Hey guys!" I said over to my family who had been out of ear shot. "Finn has great news."

"Quinn and I are getting married!" Finn said.

"Congratulations!" My parents said in unison.

"Yes! I love weddings!" Stacy said. "Can I be a flower girl?"

"You're too old." Stevie said.

"Shut up, Stevie."

"_Wait a minute-"_

* * *

><p>I looked over to Heather. "Wait a minute, dad. Quinn marries Finn? But-but that can't be right."<p>

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I thought Quinn was my mom, but she is married. This means Mercedes has to be my mom."

"Does it?" I asked.

Heather looked at me suspiciously. "Dad, don't do that. Don't confuse me. This marriage has thrown me for a loop."

"Heather, why don't you think it over, while I cook dinner."

Heather nodded and looked through her notes. After we ate dinner, we decided to take a break and watch TV instead. Around 7:00 pm, Heather went into her room to do her homework.

I sat on the couch half-watching the television. My mind was filled with thoughts of what Rachel, Blaine, Mike, and Kurt were talking about. Why was Mrs. Jones there? What did they know? How did it involve Heather? I looked up at the clock and noticed it was 8:30 pm. Where was Mark? It was only his second day here and he was already late for curfew. In my mind, he was grounded for a week, if he stayed that long. Then I heard the door bell rang. I kept my cool as I walked over to the door. I was angry with Mark. I had given him an inch and he took a mile.

I opened the door, shocked to see a frazzled Beth and a black-eyed Mark.


	26. Ch25:The Untold Story of Mark Rutherford

...Hello, everyone. This story hasn't been updated in months and I'm sorry about that. If anyone still wants to read this story, I'm going to contiune it. This chapter is mainly about Mark (Matt's brother who came to live with Sam). I debated whether or not to add this chapter, but I decided to just write it. I think it was the best way to explain why Mark was there and to write geniune Mark/Beth interaction without Sam in the scene.

This chapter is the first and most likely the only chapter that will have parts from point of view of someone other than Sam. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. But if you want to read a chapter completely from Sam's POV, it will be posted in a couple of hours. I wanted to proofread it before posting.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, please excuse grammatical errors, thank-you for the past reviews, and enjoy!

* * *

><p>The entire car was silent as we drove toward Beth's house. Mark was in the front passenger seat looking down at his bruised knuckles. In the rearview mirror, I could see Beth and Heather sitting on opposite sides of the backseat. Beth was looking out the window. Heather was sitting straight up, biting her nails. Her brows began to furrow as she watched Beth.<p>

Heather seemed confused by what was going on, but surprisingly-_uncharacteristically_-she hadn't said or asked anything. Meanwhile, I gripped the steering wheel tighter, as I tried to figure out when my life had become so complicated.

Heather dropped her hands from her mouth and began to fiddle nervously with the horizontal part of her seatbelt. With her eyes narrowed, nose scrunched, and lips tight, her facial expression seemed almost pained. If I knew my little girl, she was thinking. Probably thinking hard about what to say. I knew she had wanted to say something to Beth, because Heather's eyes had stayed locked on her ever since we had left the house.

"You're pretty." Heather had found her first words.

Beth turned tentatively toward Heather as if she was unsure to whom Heather was talking to. "Um…thank-you." Beth's gaze returned to the window.

Heather's face softened. It was all the reply that Heather needed to start the conversation…well more like badgering. "How old are you?"

"16." Again, Beth turned her attention to Heather to answer the question, before returning to the window.

"Why do you have blue stripes in your hair?"

Beth shrugged with one shoulder. "I like it."

Heather nodded. It was a good enough answer. "Why are you nervous?"

Beth shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "You ask a lot questions."

Heather shrugged her shoulders. "I've been told that I'm precocious. But why are you nervous?"

Beth sighed. "And you're persistent."

I stopped at a red light. "Okay, Heather. I think you asked Beth enough questions."

Heather nodded. "Why does Mark have a black eye?"

I turned to the backseat and glared at her. "Heather-"

Heather gave a sheepish look. "I didn't ask Beth _specifically_…"

Beth crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Mark got punched in the face because he was being hot-headed."

Mark looked up from his hands shocked at her accusation. "Sorry for trying to defend us."

Beth leaned forward in her seat. "I didn't ask you to defend my honor."

"I was trying to defend us. Not your honor." Mark said. "I don't think people who betray the trust of their friends have much honor."

Beth inhaled sharply at his words and leaned back in her chair. She mumbled something that sounded like asshole.

"No cursing, Beth." I said before turning to Mark. "You don't speak that way to your friends."

"Friends don't take the side of people who attack them. Friends don't leave friends hanging."

Beth quickly added, "In order to leave you hanging, I have to consider you a friend. How dare you put yourself into my business? I've only known you two days!"

"It became my business with your boyfriend tried to start something."

"He isn't my boyfriend anymore!"

"Does he know that?"

The back and forth between the two went on for another solid minute before I had enough. "Stop. Stop the arguing right now."

Mark turned to look out the window. Beth slumped back against the seat. I don't know what exactly happened between those two but the new animosity was apparent.

A few minutes had passed before I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Umm…dad…I know this is an inappropriate time, but Beth cursed a few minutes ago. She owes me a dollar."

"Is she serious?" Beth asked. "My house is on the left."

I pulled the car up in front of the house. Beth quickly opened the door and left for her house.

"Somebody's in a hurry…" Heather said.

"Wait!" I said getting out of the car. "I need to speak with your mother."

Beth turned around quickly, crossing her arms. "Why-why?" Her voice stammered.

"I can't just drop you off without telling your mother that you were in a fight."

Beth walked slowly toward me, looking down slightly downward to avoid eye contact. "Can you please not tell my mom? Please. I just got off the punishment and I really don't want to disappoint her again."

Small bits of emotion came through her voice. "I-I hate that look she gives me when she is disappointed. I can't stand that look." Beth looked up at me, her eyes giving a silent plea. Her grip on her arms seemed to be getting tighter and began to seem more like a self hug than an arm crossing.

I sighed. "I wouldn't tell her what happened."

"Oh, thank-you." Beth breathed a sigh of relief as she dropped her arms. "Thank-you so much."

"But I still need to talk to her."

Beth's eyes closed slightly as she tilted her head to the side. "Why?"

"I need to talk to her about your parents." I said. "Your biological parents."

* * *

><p>I was the last one to walk into my house. The tension on the ride home had been thick. Even the usually inquisitive, talkative Heather didn't say a word on the ride back. Walking into the living room, I heard the door to the basement open. "Close that door. You're not getting off that easy."<p>

Mark closed the door and gave me an indifferent stare. "Mark, sit down on the couch, because you are going to tell me everything that happened."

Mark didn't say a word as he sat down on the couch.

I turned to Heather."It's way past your bedtime."

Heather twisted her face in disappointment. "Aww, come on dad. It was just starting to get good. I wanna know what happened too."

I shook my head. "Good night, Heather."

Heather gave an exaggerated sigh before she began to walk toward her room. I barely heard her mumble, "Something interesting finally happens…" I walked over and sat down next to Mark when I heard Heather's door close.

Mark started. "Look, I don't have anything else to say that I already haven't told you."

I looked at Mark. "You told me that you and Derek had a disagreement. That has to be one of the vaguest answers I have ever heard. You have a black eye that I have to explain to your brother. 'You had a disagreement' isn't going to cut it."

"Matt doesn't have to know." Mark said.

"Yes, he does and so do I. What happened today?"

"Nothing. I can take care of myself."

I was getting tired of the defiance. "Oh, I know you can take care of yourself. I can tell by the black eye." I said with sarcasm in my voice.

Mark's glare was now cold. "I'm not going to sit here and let you patronize me." He stood up and walked over toward the basement door.

I heard creaking that signaled the opening door. "Mark."

I stood from the couch and I looked over at Mark. He didn't look back. "Put yourself in my shoes. You get a teenager literally sent to you overnight. You know almost nothing about him except from the few brief times you had sent him over the years. But you take him in on your friend's- _this kid's brother_- word that he is good kid. A brother that this kid actually can't stand for some reason that he won't disclose. This kid that you got overnight won't tell you anything. Nothing about his past or why it was so urgent that he had to leave the state. Now, he comes to the door with a black eye and gives you some lame excuse. Tell me, Mark. What would you do in my shoes?"

Mark closed the door and turned toward me. "Your shoes? _Your shoes?_ Look at where you live! You have no idea what my life has been like. The things I have had to endure for the past seventeen years. I have been in hell for the last month."

Mark walked to behind the couch and looked me in the eyes. I recognized the look in his eyes. It was similar to the sadness in my eyes at seventeen, when I had what felt like the weight of the world on my shoulders.

Mark continued, "What would I do in your shoes? I don't know. I don't have the luxury to take in charity projects, because that is what I am to you right? A charity project."

My eyes widened. "Not at all. Where is this coming from?"

"Nothing. Why don't I go down in the basement and you just pretend that I don't exist. I'll stop being your _overnight_ problem." Mark walked over toward the basement door.

"I was homeless when I was seventeen." I said.

Mark stopped midstep and looked over at me in shock. "What?"

"I was homeless when I was seventeen."

Mark turned to fully face me. He looked at me as if he was studying me or trying to figure out what to say. He finally let out something that was combination of a laugh and a breath. "What? Are you trying to relate to me? I wasn't homeless."

"I didn't say that you were. I'm saying that I know what it's like to go through something difficult during your teenage years. I remember seventeen. It was amazing. I was the quarterback of my high school football team. I had a beautiful girlfriend. My life just seemed perfect. It felt perfect. But things started to fall apart. I was injured during a football game. Then I came home early one day and my mom was crying. My family lost our home. Then it turned out my girlfriend had been cheating on me…it was not a good year. So, then I got a job and my job was practically my family's sole income for a while."

"What's the point?"

I sighed. "The point is that things get better. Eventually, my dad got a job. I got to play wide receiver and I met an amazing girl who liked me for who I was. And I guess, the other point is that when you are going through something…it helps to talk about it. I had friends that made me talk about it. It seems that you need that too."

"Talk about my feelings?" Mark's voice was filled with disgust. "Are you kidding me?"

"I get it. We're guys. We aren't supposed to feel. We aren't supposed to talk about our feelings, because we might seem weak. But Mark, there is no shame in talking about what you're going through and how you feel. You can't let that stuff fester. You have to let it out. It will consume you."

Mark didn't say anything, so I continued.

"If not to me or Matt, you need to talk to someone. Because anger, resentment, fury, or whatever you're feeling will come out in other ways. It'll come out in destructive ways, like a _fist fight_." I said putting emphasis on the last two words.

Mark briefly touched his slightly swollen eye. "Talking wouldn't make me less angry. It'll just bring it to the surface-"

"So you can let it out." I said finishing his sentence with my own words.

Mark looked off to the side to avoid eye contact. "How do you know all this?" His tone was less anger, more questioning.

"Because I was you at seventeen. Trying to be strong and taking on the burdens of the world. I see myself in you." Mark looked at me. "That's how I know. Well that… and my psychology degrees."

Mark let out a quick laugh, before walking over to the couch. We both sat down.

Mark said in a serious tone. "Where do we start?"

I asked, "What do you have against your brother?"

Mark shook his head. "Can we start off with something…less serious?"

"Why were you selling drugs?" I asked.

Mark shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Bills were stacking up…it's a long story."

"I have time."

Mark sighed. "It all started one day at school…"

* * *

><p>I hadn't been to other high schools in the Miami area, but this school had to be one of the poorest in the district. I was at my locker, which was in main hallway at Grant High School. I pulled out and swapped one duck tape repaired book for another one. I had to usually remember different rips and marks on each book since I couldn't read the titles on more than half of the books.<p>

"Mark!"

I turned to the side to see my long-time friend, Drew, running toward me. "Did you do the math homework? Can I copy it?"

I nodded and handed him my homework. "Why don't you just do the math homework at home?"

Drew retorted, "Why do Kanye and Jay-Z want everyone to watch an imaginary throne? Some things in this world just cannot be explained."

"You're lazy."

"Your mom." Drew continued to rapidly scribble answers.

I snatched my homework. "Figure the other ones out by yourself."

Drew rolled his eyes. "I was kidding."

I put my homework back in my folder.

"Whatever, Mr. Johnson will be shocked that I answered half of them, so I win." Drew said. "Are you trying out for the basketball team?

I was still exchanging books from my locker and putting them in my bookbag. "Thinking about it. You?"

"Yeah. I got new kicks to try out in."

I looked down at Drew's shoes. They were new black sneakers with an intricate red detail. "When did you get those? How did you afford them?"

"Got a job. Pays really good."

I laughed. "Who would hire you? You're too lazy to do five math problems."

"Hahaha." Drew said with sarcasm. Then Drew looked suspiciously around us.

"What are you doing?"

"Making sure that no one is listening." Drew said. He turned his attention back to me. "Look, I've been running errands for Manny."

I stopped. "What-" I had to stop and process what my friend was saying. Drew was a lot of things but he wasn't stupid. "Running errands for corner _Manny_? When the hell did you become a drug runner?"

Drew shushed me. "Keep your voice down. My dad lost his job and it was a way for me to help. It's just temporary."

I looked at him in shock. "Your dad is okay with this?"

"Hell no. He doesn't know." Drew said. "Look, my family needed the money. This money is fast. It's temporary."

"Listen to yourself." I said still in shock. "Don't do this. This is insane. This is not temporary. Once you're in, they're not going to let you go. You're putting you and your family's safety at risk."

"No. It's temporary." Drew said again. "I told Manny and he said that was okay."

"Manny is a liar." I said. "Do you even realize how high the probability of you getting shot has just gone up?"

Drew took a step back. "What is probability?"

I rolled my eyes. "Do your math homework!"

"Whatever." Drew said. "You know if you need money."

"Don't waste your breath. I would never sell drugs."

"Never say never."

* * *

><p>"Mark, hurry up! Matt is going to be here any minute." I heard my mom urge from the living room. I threw a shirt on and picked up the wrapped present from my bed. Then I walked out of my room into the living room of our apartment. I put the present on the couch and picked up my jacket.<p>

"I'm ready." I slid my jacket on. "I told you I can get ready fast."

My mom walked over to me from the dining table. She grabbed and fixed my collar. I fidgeted but she kept a steady grip.

I sighed. "Mom, you can't keep doing this. I'll be eighteen next year. A legal adult. I can fix my own clothes."

My mother shook her head. "Hush." She smoothed down the collar one last time. "I'm still and always will be your mama."

I half-smiled. It was true.

"Now, promise me that you won't go mouthing off at that party…"

My smile dropped. "As long as Matt's family and mommy dearest don't start with me, everything should be fine."

My mother gave me a stern look. "Mark-"

"No, mom."

My mother cupped my face and gave it a gentle push, so I faced her. "Mark, they are _your_ family too. Don't be disrespectful to your father's wife."

I stepped back. "I didn't realize that I had a father." I walked toward the couch to retrieve the present.

My mother crossed her arms. "Baby…he'll turn around one day."

I tucked the square box underneath my arm. "I gave him the last seventeen years to try to get to know me. The only reason I'm going to this party is because I promised MJ that I would."

"Baby-" The ringing of the bell interrupted our conversation. My mom reluctantly dropped the conversation and walked over to the intercom. Matt's voice came through the intercom. He was downstairs waiting for me. "He is coming down, Matt."

My mother looked back at me and gave me a warning glare. "Best behavior."

"I'm not the problem, mom." I said, walking toward the door. My mom gave me a hug.

"Try to have fun, please." She let go and walked back toward the couch. I noticed that her walking was a bit staggered.

"Are you okay?" As soon as I asked, my mom bent over and clutched the back of the couch for support. I ran to her side. "Mom, are you okay?

My mom nodded. I helped her over to couch so she could sit down. "I'm fine. A wave of nausea just hit me." She put her hands on the side of her head and held them there.

"Nausea? Mom, I'll stay-"

My mom shook her head. "No. Go to the party. Have fun."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" This time, she spoke with more force. "I'm going to lay down, okay." She pointed toward the door. "Go!"

I gave up. "Alright. I'll be back in a few hours. Take it easy."

I closed the door behind me. I started walking down the hall with slight worry for my mom and nerves about this party.

* * *

><p>I couldn't help but smile at the excitement on MJ's face. He sat in front of his birthday with the candles fully lit. Everyone was gathered around as we sang 'Happy Birthday' to him. Matt was to his left and Santana was to his right. My dad was taking pictures like a proud grandfather. His wife, Matt's mom-or mommy dearest as I call her-was beaming. The room was filled with aunts, uncles, and cousins. It looked like something out from the cover of a Hallmark card. At that moment, I wish that I had had this growing up.<p>

"I can't believe my little man is ten." Santana said hugging him from the side.

"Mom…" MJ said low, embarrassed.

"Alright, let's cut the cake." Matt said. He picked up the knife and started putting pieces on party plates.

"So, Matt II." My uncle said after giving me a quick smack in the shoulder. I could smell the strong scent of alcohol coming from his cup. "How are things going for you?"

"My name is Mark." I hated that nickname. "Maybe I should be asking you 'how things are going'. What's in that drink?"

He laughed. "Smartass. Say…where is your pretty momma?"

I clenched my jaw. "Home."

"I think that was for the best." I heard Matt's mom mumble.

"What?" I asked

"Mom." Matt said. His tone pleaded with her. "Don't."

She folded her arms. "I swear Matt. Why do you insist on inviting this boy to our family events?"

My eyes widened momentarily at the blunt statement. In an instance, the room instantly became quiet and everyone's eyes turned to me waiting for my response. I don't know why I came. It always started the same. I looked to my father and he did what he always did when his wife attacked me. Nothing. I hated this family.

"Don't talk like I'm not in the room." I said.

"I invited him, grandma." MJ said quietly from his seat. "I wanted Uncle Mark here."

"Today is about MJ." Matt said to remind everyone why they were there.

"No." I interjected. "I want to hear what she has to say."

In the corner of my eye, I could see the grimace on Matt's face. My mom's voice started to play over my head and I knew this would not end well, but I refused to be openly disrespected by her again.

"Stay in a child's place." Matt's mother warned.

"No, finish what you started. Obviously you have a problem with me being here."

I turned my gaze to my father who had abruptly stood up. He gave me a vacant look. He turned to Matt and his look was almost apologetic. Then he- like all the times before -walked out the room. I shook my head and mumbled, "Of course. Why did I even come..."

"Good question."

I felt the anger building inside of me. Mommy dearest was always curt to me, but she was never displayed her disdain for me so publicly and verbally. I knew what this was about. "Get over it already. I'm here. I exist. I am his son. I'm just as much his son as Matt."

She crossed her arms. "Matt wasn't a mistake."

"Mom!" Matt yelled. A yell that caused MJ to jump in his seat a little. "Stop now."

At that moment, I hated him. It was irrational. The anger was definitely misdirected. But at that moment, I _hated_ him. Dad loved him. He acknowledged him. He always got everything. He had this big happy family, which was rightfully mine too. But the only family that I had-that actually cared for me-was by herself in our apartment.

Mommy dearest stood. "We were a happy family before your mother came along-"

I interjected. "Is that why he moved to be near her?"

Her face reddened. "Don't you dare."

"As least, I wasn't dumb enough to knock up a lesbian like your perfect son."

I heard several gasps and I knew that I had gone way over the line. Especially since this was MJ's birthday party. Matt stared at me in disbelief. Everyone stared at me. I couldn't take it anymore.

I looked at MJ, Santana, and Matt. "I'm sorry."

I ran out.

* * *

><p>"Mark, stop!" I hadn't even made it out to the sidewalk. I stood on the front steps and looked around to see Santana.<p>

I said, "Look, I was out of line-"

She shrugged. "It wasn't exactly a secret."

"I'm sorry." I sighed. "Just please…I don't want to be here."

Santana smiled. "Trust me, I know about not wanting to be somewhere. Sit down."

I did as I was told. Santana sat next to me.

I started, "How is MJ?"

"He is a little upset, but I think he was happy that all of his family was there…for a little while." She grabbed my hand. "Look, Mrs. Rutherford was wrong, but I think you remind her…of her husband's infidelity."

"Great. Even you're taking her side."

"I'm not taking her side. She was wrong and should have never attacked you that way. Please, don't forget that Matt is in your corner. MJ and I are too."

I nodded. "Thanks. How long are you here for?"

"One week. Not long enough but my job calls."

I had always liked Santana. She was rough around the edges but was really a good person.

We sat on the stoop, talking about everything from family to small things until Matt walked out. I looked up from the stairs and saw his stare. Santana let go of my hand. "I think that you and your brother need to talk." Matt sat in Santana's seat. It was quiet between us. The only sound was some crickets and the door closing behind Santana.

Matt was the first to speak. "I have only ever wanted you to feel welcome." Matt reached to put his hand on my shoulder, but I moved my shoulder out of the way.

"How I can feel welcome here?" I asked in an angry tone.

More silence filled between us. Then Matt asked a question that caught me off guard.

"Why do you hate me?"

I looked at him. I stared about him and I thought about it. I thought of all the reasons and then I realized something. I didn't hate him. "I don't hate you. I resent you and everything that has been handed to you. You're Matt. The football star. Everyone loves you. What am I? Your poor brother from the ghetto that no one wants around."

Matt didn't say anything.

I stood up and started to walk away.

Matt said, "At least, let me take you home."

I shook my head. "No. I don't want anything from you or your family…they sure aren't mine."

* * *

><p>My pride fueled my long walk home. After about an hour and half, I was at the door of the apartment. I used my key and opened the door. I don't see my mom but I hear someone in the bathroom.<p>

I cringed. Someone was throwing up. "Mom?"

I heard the toilet flush and she opened the door. My mom smiled at me. I was home.

"Are you okay, mom?"

She nodded. "I'm fine."

She walked toward the couch. I sat down next to her. "How was the party?"

"Worse than usual."

My mom sighed. "I really wish you would try harder to fit in. I want you to have someone besides me."

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "You're all I need, ma. Me and you against the world, right?"

She half-smiled. "I won't be here forever." Her tone was more somber than it should have been.

"Why are you talking like that? You're going to live to be 100."

My mom grabbed my knee. "I hope so, baby…I think I'm going to go lay down."

I nodded. I suddenly needed air. "Okay, I'm going to stand outside. I need some air."

She nodded and walked back to her room.

* * *

><p>The night was clear and the moon was full. The air was calm. I took the time to think about everything from Matt to my mom. I was really worried about my mom. She wasn't telling me something. I could feel it.<p>

Suddenly, the air was robbed of its calm when heard yelling coming from the adjacent apartment. It was Alicia's apartment. Alicia was a girl who had been my best friend since we were six.

Alicia walked out abruptly. She slammed the door behind her and slid down against. Her breathing was shallow and uneven. The tears were flowing down her face. "Ali?"

"Oh God, Mark!" Alicia said frankly rubbing the tears from her face. She obviously hadn't seen me.

I walked over and got down on my knees in front of her. "What happened?"

"Nothing!" She yelled. Alicia covered her face with her hands.

I grabbed her hands, but she screamed. "Don't touch me!"

I quickly retreated my hands. "What happened? Why are you so hysterical?"

"Leave me alone."

She stood up and started to run. I caught her and grabbed her in a tight embrace from behind. "You're not going anywhere!"

Alicia elbowed me in the stomach, punched my arms, and kicked me. But the harder she fought, the tighter my embrace became. I rocked her forward and backward until she calmed down. After a few minutes, Ali stopped fighting. She just cried. Ali cried harder than I had ever seen her cry. "Ma-Ma-Mark…" She stammered. "He-He put his hands on me and she took his side."

I froze. I couldn't have heard her right. "What?"

"My stepdad tried to-" She cried harder. "Don't make me say it."

"Did he make a pass at you?" I asked in disbelief.

"Then he grabbed me-" She didn't have to finish the sentence. I let her go and I started stalking to her door. "Mark, don't!"

"He has to pay for this." I said as I neared her door. I was about to bang on the door, when Ali grabbed my hand. "You'll just make it worse."

I shook her head. "No, I'm going to put my hands on him and see how he likes it."

"Let it go." She was still crying. "Please."

"Where is your son?" I asked quickly. It just dawned on me that he might be in there.

"I would never him in there alone." Ali said as if I had insulted her.

"I didn't mean that you would!" I said. "It's just-"

"That you were worried." Ali said quietly.

"Yeah." I said. I looked at her, but she looked down the hall. Like she wanted to run. "Let's get away from here."

"Where?" Ali asked.

"Follow me."

* * *

><p>Ali and I sat in an ice cream parlor. One of the few places that actually stayed open late.<p>

I watched as Ali used her brown fingers to swirl her spoon around idly in her cup of melted ice cream. We had been there awhile, but neither of us said anything. I looked at her face, which was still a little red from crying. Even then, I still thought she was beautiful.

"Where is Josh?" I asked referring to her son.

"With his father." She laughed darkly. "For his monthly visit. I hate it here."

"You're speaking to the choir."

She looked down at her ice cream. "There has to be something better than this. I don't want my son to grow up here."

I nodded. I felt her place her hand over mine. "Thanks for this, Mark."

"It's just ice cream."

"No, I mean…thanks for showing me that you care."

"You know I care about you. Always."

She smiled and teasingly said, "You're my best friend forever."

"Oh God, that sounds so girly." I looked at her smiling. I was happy that she was feeling somewhat better.

Ali laughed. "Whatever. You know you love it." Then her tone turned more serious. "One day, I am going to be a doctor and you're going to be a writer. Then we can forget all about this place."

"Well, that's far off." I said. "But for right now, you're staying at my place. I'll take the couch and you can have my room."

She gripped my hand tighter. "Thanks."

* * *

><p>Early the next morning, I walked down stairs to pick up the mail from the apartment mail compartments. I used my key to open mine and was surprised to see a very thick envelope. We usually just got junk mail and bills. The envelope was just marked 'Janet'-my mother's name- on the front. Another thing that I noticed was that it was Matt's handwriting. The envelope wasn't sealed so I got a glance at the green inside. There was a lot of money in the envelope. Shocked, I immediately ran up the stairs to demand an explanation.<p>

I stood in the front of my door. Through the door, I heard Ali say "I can't lie to him anymore."

I opened the door. "Lie to me about what?"

Both my mom and Ali stood in the middle in the apartment. Both had looks of shock from being caught.

I closed the door and asked the same question again.

I looked at my mom and she closed her eyes. Then I looked at Ali. "What is going on?"

Ali said, "It's not my place to tell you."

I look back to my mom. She opened her eyes that filled with tears. "I'm sick, baby."

"What…like the flu?"

My mom shook her head. "I have cancer."

I clutched the door handle for support, because I would have fallen without it. That was the last thing that I had expected her to say. Anything would have been better than _that._ I couldn't imagine the world without my mom. There would be no world without my mom. "How-how long have you known? How long have you both known?"

Ali explained that she had known for a few days. Ali had seen my mom at the hospital that she interns part-time at. My mom had known a lot longer for a few months.

My mom walked over toward me and placed her hands on my shoulders. "Mark, I didn't want you to worry."

"How bad is it, mom?"

"Stage 3."

I walked over and sat down in a chair. Everything had become too much. It wasn't until then that I had remembered the envelope in my hand. "Why is Matt sending you money? How much is it?"

My mom sighed. "It's $5,000. My job doesn't pay enough. I don't have health insurance and I've been falling behind in the bills. The hospital bills have been substantial."

I was livid. I stood up from chair. "What didn't you tell me? I don't want you accepting money from that family!"

"Mark, don't let your pride blind you."

"Where is your pride?" My mom stepped back. Her face was a mixture of hurt and shock.

Ali spoke up, "Mark, calm down."

I turned to Ali. "I don't want to hear anything from you. You have been lying to me. Stay out of this."

Ali crossed her arms and took few steps back.

My mother shook my head. "After everything I said, you're worried about the money that Matt sent me?"

"It's supposed to be you and me against the world, mom. I'll take care of you. We're supposed to be partners."

"No, I'm your mother and I'm the one making the decisions. Whether you like it or not."

"But-" She put her hand up to signal me to stop talking.

"This discussion is over." My mom turned and starting walking toward the hallway.

I ran and gripped her in a tight embrace from behind. I said quietly, "I'm here for you."

* * *

><p>Ali and I walked into school in silence. Ali and I never lied to each other…or at least I never lied to her. I felt her loop her arm with mine. "I'm sorry, Mark. Your mom asked me not to tell."<p>

I nodded. "I get it. I'm still angry, but I get it."

Ali leaned her head on my shoulder and I smiled. "I got a letter from my grandmother."

"Really?" I asked. "What did it say?"

"I haven't read it yet. My mom said that grandmother wanted nothing to do with me, but I really don't take my mom's words seriously nowadays." Ali said.

Suddenly, I heard cat-calling from behind us. It was Drew. He wedged himself between Ali and me and put an arm around each of us. I missed Ali leaning on me already.

"How is the happy couple?" Drew asked.

"We're not together." Ali and I said at the same time.

"Yeah, _okay_." Drew said. His voice packed with sarcasm. "So I'll just ignore that Ali is blushing."

I snapped my head a little too eagerly to her. Ali averted my gaze.

Drew laughed. "I feel like I'm ruining a moment. So, in the words of Sara Bareilles, I'm about to leave (get out)."

"Wasn't that JoJo who sang that song?" Ali asked.

"One of those singers." Drew walked through us and turned into a side hallway.

"He is a fool." Ali said playfully.

I nodded. We stopped at Ali's locker. She opened her locker and looked at me out the corner of her eye.

"What is it?" I asked.

"How come…we never dated?" Ali asked as she pulled a book out.

I looked down at my feet and shifted a little. "I didn't think that you thought of me in that way."

"I did." Ali said.

I looked back up at her. Her brown eyes bore into mine. If there was ever a time to take a leap of faith, it would be now. "I always thought you were beautiful."

She pulled her the book tightly to her chest. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I shrugged. "You were always with that guy."

Ali rolled her eyes. "I do not want to talk about Josh's father."

"Josh." I said. "Maybe Josh is the reason."

Ali frowned. "I thought you liked Josh."

"I do. You know I love little man, too." I said.

Ali smiled. "Josh looks up to you, you know."

"I know." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Trust me, I wish that I had been the one dating you, but if you hadn't dated that guy…you wouldn't have Josh."

Ali nodded. "He was the only good thing to come out of that train wreck." She sighed. "Why didn't I think of you sooner?"

"I don't know. I've been next door since we were six."

Ali closed her locker and stared at it like she was contemplating something.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Would you go out on a date with me?"

I looked at her surprised. "What?"

"I mean…I know that it's horrible timing with your mom and my responsibilities with Josh, but I would really like to go out on a date with you."

"I would like that." I said. "But if people ask, I asked you out."

Ali laughed. "Whatever, macho man. But I have to make sure that I can get a babysitter."

"I get it. Josh comes first."

Ali smiled. I listened as Ali rattled off all of the things that she had to do for Josh this week. The list seemed daunting. But I guess that's what happens when you have a baby at sixteen.

And you keep it.

* * *

><p>After school, I walked straight home. I got back home earlier than usual. I climbed the stairs and walked down hall to see Matt standing in front of the door.<p>

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

Matt sighed. "I-um…wanted to talk." I knew he was lying by the hesitance in his reply.

"I know everything about my mom." I reached into my bag and pulled out the envelope of money. "Here. Take your money."

"I'm not taking that. It belongs to your mom."

"Fine." I said tossing it back into my bookbag.

Matt sighed even bigger this time as if all the air escaped his lungs. "I didn't like lying to you. But your mom and I agreed that we would wait and see if she got better. You were just starting that summer internship."

"Wait, summer?" I said. "How long have _you_ known? How long have you been giving her money?"

Matt looked at me puzzled. "I thought you knew. Since June…a few months."

I shook my head. I felt betrayed that even my mom had confided in Matt before me. "Stop it."

"What?"

I raised my voice. "I'll take care of my mom. Stop sendng her money. We don't need your help."

"Your mom is sick. Let me help. You can't take care of her."

My eyes snapped to him. "Don't you tell me what I can't do."

"You're seventeen, Mark." Matt said. "You don't have the resources that I have. Let me help."

"Go away." I walked toward the door and opened it. "I can take care of her. We don't need you. Or dad."

"Dad?" Matt asked, before I slammed the door in his face.

I walked into my empty apartment and closed the door on a shocked Matt. I walked over to the phone. I shocked myself as I dialed Drew's number. "Hey, Drew. It's Mark. You said that it is just temporary, right?"

* * *

><p>Over the next few weeks, Drew and I came up with a system. I would run the drugs on Mondays and Wednesdays. He had Tuesdays and Thursdays. We promised never to tell on each other and we covered for each other. Whenever I was 'working', I told my mom that I was at Drew's house. And I did the same for him. Everything was going good but I guess it always does at first.<p>

One day, I came home late. When I walked in, my mom was watching tv on the couch.

"Where have you been?" She asked sternly.

"I got a job."

My mom looked up at me from the couch. "Really? Mark, I don't want you working so late…"

I shook my head. "I need to start pulling my weight. I'm going to take care of you, so tell Matt to stop sending money." I handed her a stack of one hundred dollar bills.

My mother raised her eyebrow. "Since when do jobs pay in cash? And with this much money?"

"I've been working for awhile and I saved it. I didn't want to 'worry' you." I did air quotation marks with my fingers when I said worry.

My mom was not amused. "Do not use that smart tone against me."

I nodded.

"Where do you work?"

"Um…at Foot Locker." I lied. "The one near my school."

"How long have you been working exactly?" She asked as she eyed the money in her hand.

"A while."

"Mark-"

"Don't you trust me?"

My mother sighed. "I do but… try not to work too late. I don't like you to be outside at night. It's dangerous."

"I'll try." I said sitting next to her on the couch. I looked at my mom and couldn't help but be angry. I was still upset that she confided in Matt, before me. I saw the TV click off.

My mom must have sensed my anger. "What's wrong, Mark? Is there something else you want to say?"

"How could you ask Matt for help before me? You know I can't stand him."

My mom sighed. "I didn't. He came over one day to pick you up. I was really feeling the effects of chemo that day. I had just started it. He asked me if I was okay. I told him that I was fine."

While my mom told the story of how Mark came to know about her illness, it saddened that Matt had picked up on her illness and I hadn't. How could I have been so blind? Was I that wrapped up in my own life?

"I couldn't deny it anymore." She said. "He noticed the overdue bills on the table…and the landlord had accidently given him the eviction notice."

"Mom…" The humiliation swirled inside at the thought of Matt holding our eviction notice. I hadn't known that it had gotten that bad. My mom was good at hiding it.

"So…" My mom said. "I told him about the illness and about falling back in the bills. Then the next morning, there was this large amount of money in our mailbox. At first, I told him to stop, but he insisted. He kept saying 'until you get back on your feet'. Then I made him swear not to tell you."

"Why not?"

"I didn't want to scare you."

"Stop that." I said. "Mom, you won't die."

My mom looked at me confused then she grabbed my hand. "There is a possibility…I haven't been getting better. Mark, you have to be prepared for this."

I shook my head. "If there is a God, he wouldn't be that cruel to me."

My mom looked sad as she gripped my hand tighter. "I don't know what to say. Just know that I love you."

* * *

><p>Two nights later, I was at my job. I reluctantly called Ali.<p>

"I'm sorry, Ali. I can't make it. I promise to make it up to you." I said. "I had to work. We'll go tomorrow night I promise." I looked up and saw the guy I was suppose to meet. "Ali, I have to go." I hung up the phone.

As we were exchanging drugs and money, I heard cop sirens. My heart dropped and I was distracted briefly by the sound. During the distraction, the guy ran off.

He ran off with the drugs and money.

I yelled after him to come back but the sirens were getting louder. They could have been coming this way so I ran. I ran into the park. It was dark. It was so dark that I couldn't see my hands in front of me. The ground was rough against me skin as I fell down hard. I had tripped over the tree branch. I heard someone yell for me to stop. There was no doubt that the police were following me as circles of lights from flashlights frantically moved around the park.

I got up and kept running. I eventually got out of the park. I ran down the street until I saw an abandoned car in an alley. I hid underneath the car. I had never been so scared or ashamed in all my life. As the cold oil dripped on the back of my shirt, I wondered at what point had I fallen so much.

After about twenty minutes I didn't hear the police anymore. I figured it was safe. I walked down the street and silently thanked God that I hadn't been caught. I also promised Him that I would never sell drugs again. On my walk home, I decided to stop at a gas station to get something to drink. I walked into the store and grabbed a Gatorade from the refrigerator. I stood in line.

"How about the Miami Heat?"

I turned around to a middle-aged man looking at me. "Are you talking to me?"

"Yeah. What do you think about the Heat?"

I shrugged. "They're pretty good this year."

"What's your name, kid?" He asked.

Something didn't feel right and I just wanted to walk out of the store. "I don't have a name."

The man laughed. "Is it Mark Rutherford?"

I snapped around to face him. "How do you know my name?"

He also showed his badge that he hung around his neck in from of his Miami Dolphins t-shirt. The man was a plain clothes cop. "You dropped this in the park." He held up my ID.

The next thing I felt was the cold metal enclosing my wrist. "What are you doing?"

The man pulled my arms behind my back abruptly. "You're under arrest." As he read me my rights, I felt ashamed again as other customers stared.

* * *

><p>The jail cell was cold and dark. The only good thing was that I was the only one in the cell.<p>

I stared in disbelief at the floor. I couldn't believe I was here. I pictured my mom and I dropped my head. My mom had a lot on her plate to deal with including her cancer diagnosis. But no matter how hard her life was, she always prided herself in me. She would brag about what a good job she had done raising me- practically by herself. I gave her a great source of pride. Sitting in this cell, I had taken that from her.

I shifted my focus to the black line shadows from the bars on the floor. Suddenly, the shadows started to move. "Rutherford, your bail has been posted."

I was dreading the moment that I would see the disappointment in her eyes. I followed the officer into the labor, but I didn't see my mom…I saw Matt.

We locked eyes as the officer released me to him. Matt was angry. I was embarrassed for Matt to see me at my worst hour.

"Come with me." Matt said sternly.

I followed him out of the police station and into the parking lot.

"Where's my mom?"

He replied angrily, "Your sick mother is at your home."

"Is she okay?"

"Like you care." I was caught off guard. It was the first time that Matt had snapped at me.

"Don't tell me that I don't care about my mother."

Matt turned around quickly with fire in his eyes. "If you gave a damn about the welfare of your mother, you wouldn't be doing the stupid shit that you are doing."

"Did you call me stupid?"

"Yes, I called you stupid. Drug dealers don't live long. Are you trying to get yourself killed? Your mom doesn't need this kind of stress right now!"

"Why do you even care? Why do you care about her?"

"Because I care about you." He ran his hands over his head. "Did you know how many favors I had to call in to get this off your record? You're lucky there weren't any drugs actually found on you."

"Again, Matt flashing his money and influence."

"Shut up. You are so ungrateful."

"Don't-"

"No." Matt said firmly. "I don't want to hear anything that you have to say. I'll let your mom deal with you."

* * *

><p>I watched as Matt's car drove away. I walked up the stairs and down the hall until I was in front of the door. But I couldn't bring myself to knock on the door. Knocking on the door and it being opened would mean that…I would have to face my mom. Many scenarios-about what she would do-ran through my head. Would she yell? Silent treatment? Grounded until infinity? Just look at me with disappointment? I took a deep breath and opened the door to just get it over with.<p>

I was shocked at what I saw. Out of all the possible scenarios that ran through my mind, I never expected this.

There were two suitcases in the middle of the floor.

I closed the door behind me and stared at the suitcases.

"You have to leave."

I looked over to see my mother sitting at the kitchen table. She stood up and looked through me. "Did you hear what I said?"

"Mo-mom" I stammered. "Are you kicking me out?"

She nodded her head. "I will not have this kind of foolishness in my home."

"Mom, I did it for you-"

My mom put her hand up. "No, you did not. I don't who _think_ selling drugs would help, but it's not me. What time I may have left on this Earth is not going to be spent burying my only son. I don't want to see it. I don't want to be around it. If you're going to sell drugs, you have to leave."

"I did it for you…" I said a second time. This time, my voice was weaker.

"Don't." My mom said, lifting a suitcase. "Take it. Leave."

"What about Ali?" I asked.

"She can still have your room for as long as she needs until she finds s more suitable place." My mom said. "This isn't about her. It's about you."

I stared at mom. She was serious. As I stared at her, it was the first time that I had really notice the effects of cancer. She had lost weight. Her hair was thinning. She seemed tired, but none of that stopped her teaching me this lesson. I felt ashamed at that stress and anger I had now caused her to feel.

I grabbed the suitcase from my mother and the other was a duffle bag that I slung over my shoulders. I looked at my mom one last time before opening the door. I stood in the doorway for a long time just staring outside. The cool breeze made everything worse, like I was about to enter the cold, cruel world alone.

As I looked outside, I realized something. I didn't sell drugs completely for her. It was partly selfish. I wanted to prove that I could take care of my mom. I wanted to be there for her, unlike my father. I didn't want to be my dad.

I spoke, "I'm not leaving."

"Yes, you are."

"Matt said that I couldn't provide for you." I said turning around. "That I couldn't care of you."

"What?"

Walking back into the house, I put the bags down and closed the door. "I wanted to prove that I could help you. That I was worth something. That I'll actually be there unlike dad."

"Oh baby…" She said. Her voice was softer this time.

"I'm not him. I'm not going to leave you."

I dropped my bags and enveloped my mother in a hug. "I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too. But promise that you'll never do anything this stupid again."

I nodded, but it wasn't good enough for her. "Mark, I need to hear the words. Do you promise?"

"I promise."

* * *

><p>Clutching the side of my stomach, I slid my key into the lock and turned. Walking into the apartment, I sat on the couch. It had been a week since I was almost kicked out. Everything had gone almost back to normal until about 20 minutes ago. On my way home, I was jumped by the guys who had given me the drugs to run. I explained what happened to me, but it didn't mean anything. I had to come up with the money or they said things would get worse. A lot worse.<p>

I needed to tell my mom. After yelling her name, I realized that she wasn't home.

I walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a supermarket bag from under the counter. I filled the bag halfway with ice and twisted the excess plastic until the bag was tight around the ice. I lifted my shirt and placed the bag on my side. Instantly, the pain went down some but that was short lived.

The loud banging on the door surprised me enough to drop my ice. The ice scattered across the floor.

"Open the door!" I heard someone yell through the door. By the sound of the voice, I realized it was Matt.

I raced over to the door and opened.

"Where have you been? Why aren't you answering your phone?" Matt asked. The questions were coming like rapid fire.

"I left my phone at home-"

"We have to go now!" Matt interrupted. "We have to go to the hospital. Your mom isn't doing well."

At that moment, my entire body froze as I feared that my worst nightmare was might actually be realized. Matt yelled at me again, but I couldn't move. My arms tight to my side and legs felt as heavy as stone.

"Move Mark."

"I can't."

Matt released a sigh that turned his face from that of frenzy to sympathy. Reaching out, he touched my shoulder. "Everything is going to be fine."

"Do you promise?" I said in a broken, childish voice that I couldn't believe came from me. I looked up at Matt and for once I wanted him to be my big brother. I wanted him to be there for me and tell me that the world wasn't going to end today. "Do you promise?"

Matt looked down briefly before meeting my eyes. "Everything is going to be fine."

* * *

><p>The doctors wouldn't let me back. I had been there an hour and the doctors were still seeing her. All I knew was that her immune system was low due to the chemo and the doctors said that she had caught something. They were being vague and it was frustrating to not know what was going on with my mom. I wanted my friends to be here. Drew had borrowed his dad's car to pick Ali so that they could come here, but the traffic was bad. All I had was a text from them every few minutes saying, "almost there."<p>

The only two people with me were Santana and Matt.

Matt gave me sympathetic glances and Santana would loop her arm my shoulders in a sideways hug to comfort me, but none of it was enough. I needed my mom. Nothing else mattered.

"Mr. Rutherford?" A doctor in a long coat said walking into the waiting room.

Matt and I both stood but Matt tilted his head to side as a signal for me to go.

I walked over to the doctor. "Is she okay?"

The doctor had a look of sadness look on his face. "I'm afraid I have some bad news."

The doctor explained that my mom had passed away from complications of her cancer. The doctor gave one last apology for my loss and left me standing there. Heartbroken.

"What did he say?" I heard Matt say. I just noticed that he was standing next to me.

My teeth clenched as I felt anger rise from a deep place inside of me. "You promised." I said in a calm anger.

"Promise? What-" Matt slowly closed his eyes as he realized what must have happened. "I'm so sorry, Mark."

"You promised that she wouldn't die." I said louder, angrier.

"I didn't promise. I said everything is going to be fine. And it will in time." His voice was calm and sad.

"Don't twist your words around." I yelled.

People began to stare and Santana stood from her seat. Walking over, she asked the same question. "What did the doctor say?"

I stared at Matt. "I hate you. My mom is dead. I hate you."

Santana gasped. Matt placed his hand on shoulder, which I quickly yanked off. "Don't touch."

Matt took a step back, seemingly hurt by me actions.

"Mark, you're miss directing your anger." Santana said. "Matt didn't do anything."

"He promised!" I yelled in a broken voice. And in the middle of a crowded waiting room, I broke down. I started sobbing and I couldn't stop it.

Santana hugged me and started rubbing my back. I hung to her like a life line as I sobbed unbashfully into her shoulder.

"Mark" Santana said in a quiet voice. "Everything is going to be fine."

I wished they would stop telling that. Nothing was fine.

* * *

><p>"Is everything fine?" Matt asked over the telephone.<p>

I sat on the couch of the new apartment that Matt had put me in. I had still been getting threats from the guys who jumped me and Matt decided to hide me until the police could catch them. I was now living in the opposite side of the city so no one would find me. He even made me change schools. I missed Ali and Drew but it was best that they didn't know where I was. For their safety and mine. The only good thing to come out of selling drugs was that it made Drew stop selling drugs.

"I'm fine, Matt."

Since I was still seventeen and a minor, Matt was awarded custody of me. Of course, my dad and stepmother were first options but they didn't show up to court. Matt was disappointed. I wasn't surprised.

"Already, I'm going to come visit you to see for myself."

"I guess. If you think it's necessary."

We said our goodbyes before hanging up the phone. I sighed as I leaned back into the couch.

It had been a month since my mom passed away and I was waiting for everything to be fine.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, I heard a knock at my door. I figured it was Matt so I opened the door. I was very wrong.<p>

Everything was a scary blur. It was Manny's guys at the door. They grabbed me as four guys came into the apartment. They tied my wrists behind my back and made me kneeled on the ground. One of them pointed a gun to my head.

It was the scariest moment of my life and I thought I was really going to die.

"Where is the money from the drugs?"

I explained to them what happened again, but like the time before, they didn't want excuses.

"You're responsible for it." The man with the gun said.

I then remembered the envelope with $5,000. The last envelope of money Matt had given to my mom. Matt refused to take it back and I still had it. I told them where it was in my room. After one guy retrieved the money, he counted and said that it was more than enough.

"Can you put the gun down?" I asked. "I gave you the money."

Two of the guys nodded and one of them actually started walking toward the door. Most of them believed the issue was resolved. All except one because the gun never moved from the front of my face.

"How do I know he won't tell the cops?" The man with gun asked.

"Come man." One of the guys said. "The kid paid. Let's leave."

"No." The man with the guy said. "He's a liability. He's seen our faces."

I closed my eyes as I felt my heart sink. I didn't think my life would end this way.

I sighed as one dark silver lining entered my mind. I would finally be with my mom again.

The next sound I heard wasn't from the gun but from the door.

The word Police was shouted as I opened my eyes. I looked over and saw the door being broken down. Men in blue walking over it.

* * *

><p>Matt got there twenty minutes later. He asked a barrage of questions that I tried to answer. But between the gun that had been in my face and the police's questioning, I was shaken and tired.<p>

"Can you stop with the questions?" I asked.

Matt shook his head. "What am I going to do with you? You're not safe here."

"The police said that the guys are going to be locked up for a long time."

"I need to think." Matt said sitting down. "You need to go somewhere so I know that you'll be safe."

"Go where? Matt, I'm safe."

Matt wasn't convinces because the next thing he does is grab his cell phone out his pocket. He dials a number. "Sam. I need your help."

* * *

><p>There was no way in HELL I was going to Cleveland. People leave Cleveland to go to Miami. Not the other way around. When Matt went out to the ATM to get money for me, I packed a bag. I had plan. It involved Ali and Josh. We could run away together and be our own family. I had enough from my mom's life insurance policy to last us a year. I knew Ali would leave with me. She was my best friend and it was an escape from her family.<p>

I wasn't going to Cleveland. My brother wasn't going to ship me away, because I wasn't going to be his problem anymore.

After a bus ride that crossed the city, I was back at my old apartment building. I walked up the stairs and down the hall. It was a walk that I had taken all my life but now everything was different. I didn't live here. Laughter came from my old apartment and I was saddened that some other family had claimed my home.

I took a deep breath and knocked on Ali's door. Within a few seconds, Ali answered the door. With a bag in her hand. It was fate.

"Oh God, what are you doing here?" Ali said shocked. "Are you okay?"

_There I was again tonight, forcing laughter, faking smiles  
>Same old, tired place lonely place<br>__**Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy  
>Vanished when I saw your face<strong>_

I smiled. I had missed her. "I'm fine. I came to see you."

_All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you_

Ali dropped her bag inside the house and walked outside. "I missed you. Josh missed you, too."

Dropping my bag, I put my arms around her. "Feeling is mutual."

"Mark, there is something I need to tell you." Ali said returning the hug.

_This night is sparkling, don't you let it go  
>I'm wonder-struck, blushing all the way home<br>I'll spend forever wondering if you knew  
>I was enchanted to meet you<em>

"I do too." I said as we let go. "What is it?"

"Do you remember that letter that I got from my grandmother?"

I nodded. I remembered.

"My grandmother said that she had been trying to get in contact with me for years. My mom had never given me any of her messages. My grandmother always wanted to meet me, but my mom left a few days after I was born."

"Wow. I can't believe it." I said.

Ali nodded. "Yeah, so we have been writing letters back and forth for the past month. She is amazing. She was the first African-American to own a huge wine vineyard in her county. She went Yale. She collects-"

I smiled as Ali's face glowed with pride about her grandmother.

"I want to be just like her." Ali said.

"She sounds amazing."

Suddenly, Ali's face darkened as she crossed her arms. She looked down. "I told her about what my stepdad tried to do."

I started to feel angry just thinking about it. "What did you say?"

"It wasn't what she said." Ali reached into the pocket of her dress and took out an envelope. "It was what she sent."

Ali opened the envelope passed me a folded up sheet of paper.

I narrowed my eyes. "What is this?"

"Open it."

I opened and saw it contained two smaller piece of papers. The letter said in big bold print, "GET OUT THERE. YOU ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE HERE." I looked at the smaller piece of paper and realized it was a plane ticket.

A one-way plane ticket.

I looked back up at Ali who was eyeing me. "Ali…are you going to use it?"

Ali sighed. "I've been struggling with it. It's a huge leap of faith. I would have to leave everything that I know. But then I remembered something. There is someone that controls this decision. It isn't really my decision to begin with."

Ali grabbed my hands and looked into my eyes. My heart soared. Was she talking about me?

_The lingering question kept me up, 2 a.m., who do you love?  
>I wonder 'til I'm wide awake<br>Now I'm pacing back and forth, wishing you were at my door  
>I'd open up and you would say<em>

"Josh." Ali said squeezing my hands. "I have to go. I can't leave like this. I can't stay up during the night with Josh by my side because I fear for his safety. I have to leave to give Josh a better life."

My heart fell selfishly.

"I'm going to Louisiana." Ali said. "That's why I packed my bag. Josh and I are leaving tonight for Louisana."

"Wow." It was all I could say.

_It was enchanting to meet you_

"I know." Ali said. "I can't believe that I'm actually doing this."

I looked off to the side and gently pulled my hands away. "I'm happy for you."

Ali crossed her arms and looked at me suspiciously. "What did you have to say?"

I couldn't tell her why I was really here. I wouldn't. This was an escape for her. A life of stability and a loving grandmother. I wouldn't take that for Ali. But now the idea of running away, didn't feel the same without her.

"I came to tell you that I was leaving for Cleveland." I said. "And that I'm sorry that I never gave you that date."

"Oh my God. Mark, it happened! We're both getting out of here." Ali hugged me and I hugged back. The hug was long. It felt sad. Probably because we had realized that it was the end of the line for us.

"It would have been a great date." Ali said laying her head on my shoulder.

"Amazing." I corrected.

Ali pulled lifted up her head and looked in eyes. "Promise me that you'll find someone as wonderful as you."

_Please don't be in love with someone else_

_Please don't have somebody waiting on you_

_Please don't be in love with someone else_

_Please don't have somebody waiting on you_

I thought Ali was that someone. I had thought that since I was six. I guess I was wrong. "I promise."

I released her from the hug. "Take care of yourself, Ali. Take care of Josh."

"You too." Ali said sadly.

I walked down the hall and down the stairs for the last time. My life had changed forever.

Ali was going to Louisiana. I was going to Cleveland.

* * *

><p>I sat in a window seat watching the only city that I had ever remembered growing smaller and smaller as the plane ascended miles into the air. I had never been in a plane before. The idea of rising 40,000 feet in the air made me feel like a giant. A giant who was now taller than his city, his neighborhood. Now, bigger than the place he knew. I was a giant looking down at a small city. A small city that looked like nothing more than a splatter of misplaced Christmas lights. But I knew this strange euphoric feeling wouldn't last. It was temporary like my drug crime<p>

_Temporary. _ Like my friendship with Alicia, who had once called me her best friend forever.

_Temporary. _Like my stay in this new city would be.

_Temporary. _Like the life of my mother.

The sobering realization made me feel as small and weak. I missed my mom. She now only existed in my memories.

My mother was tall, beautiful and proud. I would miss her laugh, and her offbeat sense of humor. The way, even through her brown skin, her cheeks would blush bright red like a rose. My mother was a flower until a cancerous wind came and ripped her from this Earth.

Strangely at that moment, I wondered if what I had loved about her, was the same thing that my father loved. I wonder if that's what my father saw in her. What attracted this powerful businessman to her? Was it her beauty? Her charm? Her quick wit? I wouldn't know. I wouldn't even dare ask. I had no relationship to my father. Besides, blood, we were bound together nothing.

Our only bound had descended six feet into ground a month ago.

At that moment as her coffin was going down, he looked up at me and an accidental eye contact was initiated. Moments like that used to make me feel nervous, scared…intimidated. But not that day. Before that day, this man would intimidate with his expensive suits, a commanding voice, and an unshakable aura of confidence. But not today. Before that day, the man had intimidated a boy. I was not a boy anymore. Boys were happy. Boys were carefree. Boys had mothers.

I stood there now a lonely, furious man staring at my father as his blood rushed through my veins. Furious that he hadn't said one word to me. I stared at his blank eyes and for the first time in my life, he looked away first.

He walked toward his car down the hill. I shook my head. What I did expect? For him to comfort me? Hug me? Tell me that he loved me? He didn't love me. His love had been reserved for the woman of the hour. He still loved my mother, which is why my stepmother hated me. She hated me because my dad still loved my mom. Like I hated Matt, because my dad only loved him.

I was a mistake. A hiccup. An accident. A complication of that ultimately doomed love.

I felt a firm hand grab my shoulder from behind and I inhaled sharply. For a second, I thought it was my father. I mentally kicked myself for wishing it was him. I knew before I turned around who it really was. It was Matt. It was always Matt.

I turned around and he gave me a sympathetic smile. "Your mom is in a better place."

He grabbed both of my shoulders. "You've been so strong. It's okay to show reaction. It's okay to let it out."

The first cry came out like a cough as the remembrance of Matt's words brought me back into the present. The next was a stifled sob as I clutched the sides of the chair in front of me. I tried to hide my face with my arms to keep some of my dignity, but my quivering shoulders probably gave me away. I felt ashamed for crying on a plane.

I couldn't believe that I had the nerve to feel any kind of happiness from flying on an airplane. I may have been 40,000 feet in the air, but my mother was six feet underground. I couldn't stifle the wailing noise coming from my mouth as the flood escaped my eyes. I felt lonely. I cried on an airplane to mourn the loss of love from my mother and mourn the love that I would never feel from my father.

I was breaking down and I couldn't stop. I looked up to see the horrified faces of the fellow passengers. I imagined the awkward feeling brewing in there chest as I cried in front of them.

I didn't care.

I'd rather cry in front of strangers that I'd never see again than appear weak in front of my family. Matt had seen me cry once and it would never happen again.

* * *

><p>"And that is why I'm here." Mark said finishing his story. "Matt is being paranoid. I was fine in Miami."<p>

"I think you coming here was a good thing." I said. "To be on the safe side."

Silence came between us. I didn't know what else to say. It seemed like there was nothing that I could say.

Mark spoke, "I guess you weren't expecting all of that."

I let out a heavy sigh. "I definitely wasn't. Mark…" I paused to collect my thoughts. "No one deserves to go through anything that happened to you. I'm so sorry about your mother."

"Me too." His voice broke a little. "I miss her so much."

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "I'm not going to say everything is going to be fine, but obviously you hate that. But think of it this way. One day, you'll think of your mom and it wouldn't hurt. That day will come. I promise."

Mark nodded. "Thanks. I'm going to hold to that."

I nodded. "Mark, I still need to know one thing."

"What?"

"How did you get that shiner?" I said pointing to his eye.

Mark touched the darken skin underneath his eye. "Well, I guess I should start this part of this story with Beth…"

* * *

><p>I walked in silence with weepy girl. I think Sam said her name was Beth, but I didn't dare ask. She was still using her sleeve to wipe old tears from eyes and I didn't want to say anything to cause new ones.<p>

I followed her as she turned into the middle hallway.

"My name is Beth, by the way." She said dropping her arm from her face. "Its funny. I never cry and I think you're one of the few people to ever actually see me cry."

"Uh-huh." I said disbelievingly. "My name is Mark."

"That's a nice name."

"I guess. Are we almost there?"

"Am I boring you?"

I guess that was rude. "No. I'm impatient, I guess."

"Stop saying I guess." Beth said. "It sounds like you're unsure of yourself."

I stopped in my tracks. "What did you say? I am very sure myself."

Beth stopped and turned around to face me. "If you heard what I said, why did you ask me to repeat it?"

I opened my mouth to explain but no words came out. Just a '_ah?_' which only made her smirk.

"Ah? Sounds unsure to me." Beth turned on her heel and began to walk away. "Follow me if you want to go to class."

I stood there blinking a few times. Who did this girl think she was? I asked just that question. "Who do you think you are to insult me and then order me around?"

Beth laughed. "Wow. You're sensitive, Marky."

"Don't call me Marky."

Beth stopped and looked over her shoulder. "It's easy to get you upset, isn't it?"

"No." Truth was that one certain people had the power to get me upset easily. This girl was turning out to be one of them.

"Well, then come on." Beth said. "We're both already late."

Beth then tilted her head forward a few times to signal me to walk. I didn't want to go, but I walked forward anyway. The last thing I needed was to get in trouble at my new school.

After a walk down the hall and around another corner, Beth spoke again.

"You have to stick to your beliefs. Believe in what you believe. Don't be unsure of yourself."

"I think you read too much into me saying 'I guess' a few times."

Beth shrugged and stopped walking. "Well, this is where we part ways. This is the African-American history classroom."

I looked in the room and saw a man in wheelchair pointing to the board.

"Why are you here?" Beth asked.

I was taken aback by the question. "What do you mean?"

"I just thought about it. It's a little weird to transfer schools months in. And at junior year at that." Beth asked.

I put my hands in my pockets. "Its personal."

"Oh. Sensitive and secretive."

"Well, I'll tell you why I had to transfer if you tell me why you were crying."

Beth looked up to the ceiling playfully as if she was thinking about. She looked in my eyes. "I think we should both an air of mystery about ourselves." Beth turned and walked to the stairway but stopped in the doorway. "But Mark, I know that you were forced to come here."

I jerked my head back, surprised. "How did you know that?"

"You said 'I had to transfer' instead of 'I transferred'." Beth said.

I shook my head. "Who are you again?"

"Beth Corcoran. The school's certified radical badass."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I have a hard time believing that."

Beth smirked. "You just met me. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Beth walked down the stairway as I stood there…intrigued.

Who was this girl?

* * *

><p>The last two periods had been Math and English. Since this school was so big, I was surprised to have both classes with Beth. She repeatedly called me Marky. I hated the nickname. She continued to call me that because she knew it bothered me.<p>

It was now last period and I had lunch as last period. I wasn't really hungry so I decided to wait in the auditorium until Sam-_well you_-were ready to leave. I walked in a sat in the back row that was in the shadows. I figured I could get a nap in with the period bell as my alarm clock. I hadn't slept much on the plane the night before.

My plans were ruined when I say someone walk on stage. The person stood in front of the microphone. It was Beth. She was going to sing.

I had to see this.

"No, I'm singing it by myself." She said to someone off stage. "The song is Bring Me to Life."

Bring Me to Life by Evanescence? I loved that song. I sat up in my seat and leaned forward. I really wanted to see this.

"No, I'm going to just to skip the chorus." Beth said to whoever was off stage.

Skip the chorus? It was the best part. How was she going to sing the song without the chorus? I was broken out of my thoughts when just the stage lights dimmed slightly. A spot light was shone on Beth. She nodded to the off stage person. It must be the stage manager.

Beth stepped forward. She grabbed the mic with one hand and the mic stand with the other. Then the background music started to play. Beth sang:

_How can you see into my eyes like open doors  
>Leading you down into my core<br>Where I've become so numb without a soul _

I sat back surprised. She was good.

_My spirit sleeping somewhere cold  
>Until you find it there and<br>Lead it back...home..._

Then she paused. And I heard her breath a huge sigh into the microphone. "I can't…stop the music." The music cut off.

Why did she stop? She was good. She should finish the song.

"_Wake me up!"_ The words came out my mouth loud before I could even think about.

Beth looked frantically at the seats in the auditorium. "Who's there?" She said into the mic.

"Turn the music back on." I yelled in auditorium.

"Who is there?" Beth demanded.

I got up out of my seat and walked into the aisle. I walked down until Beth could see me.

"What are you doing here, Mark?"

"It seems like you need a singing partner."

"You sing?"

I smiled. "Couldn't I ask you the same question?"

She sighed. "This is private."

"Then why are you in the public auditorium?" I asked. Then I yelled, "Turn the music back on."

The music came back on. "Beth, start from the second to last line and I'll back you up."

Beth looked at me warily. "I don't know…"

"Trust me?"

She continued to look at me warily, until she finally broke down. "Fine."

Beth sang:

_Until you find it there and  
>Lead it back... home...<em>

I sang:

_Wake me up inside, Save me  
>Call my name and save me from the dark<br>_

I think having someone to sing with her was all the push that Beth needed. She leaned into the mic and enthusiastically sang:

_Now that I know what I'm without  
>You can't just leave me<br>Breathe into me and make me real  
>Bring me to life<em>

We both sang the chorus, before Beth took the next verse:

_Frozen inside without your touch  
>Without your love darling<br>Only you are the life among the dead_

I had ran down the aisle and climbed on stage, which caused Beth to laugh. I laughed too. It was the few times I had laughed since mymom died. I leaned into the mic and sang:_  
><em>

_All this time I can't believe I couldn't see  
>Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me<em>

We finished the song out and I bowed to the empty audience.

Beth laughed. "Really?"

"You have to practice your bowing too."

We both sat down on the stage. Then Beth tilted her head to the side. "Marky are you following me?"

"Not at all." I said. "Why are you singing in the auditorium?"

"I was thinking about singing in the talent show. I figured I needed to give performing on stage a try."

I nodded. "Why did you almost stop singing?"

Beth frowned. "I did stop. I was about to walk off stage when I heard you yell."

"Why?"

"Mixture of things…It was scary to sing on stage even in front of no one. Then I felt like I betrayed my deep seeded hatred for show choirs."

"Why do you hate show choirs?"

"My mom. Well, my adopted mom paid more attention to her show choirs than me." Beth gave a short laughter. "I can't believe I'm adopted."

"I'm guessing you didn't before."

"I just found out recently." Beth stretched out her legs and crossed them. "That's why I was crying. I had just found out…I needed to vent to someone. The counselor had offered to speak with me before, so I took the opportunity."

Beth then went on to explain everything that had happened to her last weekend from her adoption shocker to her cheating ex-boyfriend. I guess I wasn't the only one having a hard time.

"Wow." I said. "That was some weekend."

Beth laughed. "Yeah. But I'm still angry with my mom. I'm can't believe she lied to me for all these years. I mean, I don't really know who I am anymore."

"Well, if you want to know who you are…didn't she give you a gift?"

That really got Beth's attention. She looked at me. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that you can finally can find out who are really and where you come from." I said. "Your mom told you the truth and she gave you a gift."

Beth looked off the side and rubbed her upper arm. "I never thought of it that way. I never did feel like I was like my mom. Don't get me wrong, I love her. But sometimes, I felt like I couldn't relate to her."

"Maybe now, you can find out why."

Beth smiled and looked back over to me. "Thank-you."

I nodded. "No problem."

"Well." Beth said. "Now, it's your turn. So why did you move here?"

"Oh." I rubbed the back of my neck. I wasn't sure if I should tell her. "I thought you wanted to keep an 'air of mystery?'"

"Come on Mark. We've sang together, I've given you a pet name, and I just revealed my life to you." Beth said. "We're practically best friends."

"I don't know about all that." I said on a shrug.

I guess she was right. She would probably fine out eventually. "My mom died."

Beth sat straight up and covered her mouth with her hand. She gasped before dropping her hand. "I'm an idiot. I'm so sorry. Here I am complaining about my mom and-"

"It's fine." I said. "I'm nowhere near finished."

I told Beth everything. Everything from selling drugs to moving in with the guidance counselor. After I told her everything, she sat there just staring at me. "Beth?"

"Give me a minute. It takes a while to process everything you just said." Beth said. "I mean-wow…how can you be so stupid? I mean you were noble for trying to help your mom, but stupid. What if something had happened to you?"

"Trust me, I'm never going to do it again." I said.

The bell rang and Beth stood up.

"I have to go." Beth said. "I have to-Bye." And with that goodbye, Beth ran off stage and out the auditorium.

I guess I scared her off.

* * *

><p>The next day at school, I was surprised to see Beth at my locker afterschool. She wanted to know if I could hang out. I guess I hadn't scared her off. We watched a movie and then decided to take a walk through the park, before heading home. We sat down on the bench,<p>

"That movie was hilarious." I said.

Beth nodded in agreement.

"You know, I was surprised to see you at my locker. I thought I had scared you off."

"Trust me, it takes a lot to scare me off." Beth said. "I found my dad's address."

"Really?" I asked. "Are you going to go there?"

"Honestly, I'm scared."

"I thought you were a badass."

"What if my dad is a bigger badass than me?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but you have to try."

Beth looked over to me. "You're a good guy."

"I know."

Beth smacked in the shoulder with the back of her hand. "Modest much?"

Beth and I continued to joke around until about 7:30 pm. We got and started to walk toward the bus stop, until Derek showed.

"Well, this your new boyfriend?" Derek asked loudly, arrogantly as he walked down the park path toward us.

"Come on." Beth whispered to me while she grabbed my arm. "Let's just turn around and walk away."

"Who is that?"

"My ex-boyfriend and I think he's drunk."

"Great." I said sarcastically.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Derek said as he staggered toward him. "Really? Him? Beth, you're dating the guidance counselor's charity project?"

"Charity project?"

"Beth told about how you had to move."

I looked at Beth and she averted my gaze. "Beth, you told him?"

"I thought it was in confidence." Beth said. "Leave Derek."

"No!" Derek said staggering forward.

"You actually dated him?" I asked

Beth nodded. "He's misunderstood."

"Whatever. Let's leave." I said as I walked behind Beth, but then I felt a shove in my back. I turned around and the fist was a blur as it collided with my eye. I quickly grabbed my eye as it throbbed.

Derek yelled, "Stay away from my girlfriend!"

Beth yelled, "I'm not your girlfriend! You cheated on me with my friend-"

Beth stopped talking when she saw me punch Derek back in the face. "Mark, what are you doing!"

"Me? He started it!" Then Derek tried to throw another punch but he missed. I punched him back repeatedly.

At some point, something in me changed. I kept hitting me and it wasn't to defend me or Beth anymore. It was a release. I became angry and let out all my frustrations. Everything that had happened to me…I could fight it back. It became a real thing that I could punch. I didn't stop until I heard her scream.

Beth yelled, "Mark! Stop! Please stop!"

"Are you serious?" I asked as I backed away. Derek fell to the ground and Beth ran to his side.

"Derek, are you okay?" Beth said as she rubbed his forehead. "Mark are you insane? You could have killed him."

I took a step back in disbelief at everything that had just happened. "Where you not standing two feet away from me when _he attacked me_?"

"You took it too far!" Beth yelled. "I still care about him. Why would you do this?"

"Beth…"

Beth ignored me and asked Derek if he was okay again. Derek nodded and seemed to cling to Beth. At that moment, I realized something. This date had been a mistake. During the walk to park, I had done nothing but think about Ali. And now, Beth was consoling a guy that she obviously she had feelings for.

This date was bad timing. In a way, we were both on the rebound and maybe we wouldn't be good for each other.

I looked at Derek and realized what I had done. Derek got up and walked away after telling Beth that he never wanted to see her. Beth looked at me. She said she hated me as she walked past me.

I had just moved here. I could actually really just need a friend. I think I lost the only one I had here.

* * *

><p>"Are you going to speak to me?" I asked Beth as we walked to Sam's house.<p>

"Why couldn't you just walk away?" Beth snapped. "I'm so angry with you. You didn't have to fight him."

"He asked for that butt kicking when he punched me in the face." I said. "Beth, you're too good for him."

"I don't want to talk about it." Beth said.

I remained quiet as I rang the door bell.

The door opened. "Mark, where have you- What happened to you?"

* * *

><p>"That's everything." Mark said. "Anything else that you want to know?"<p>

I shook my head. "No, but do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Try to stay out of fights." I said. "Although, the one with Derek was definitely warranted. He had that coming."

"Am I in the clear?"

I nodded. "You're fine, but your curfew stands."

Mark nodded. "Understood. I think I'm going to make a sandwich."

Mark stood up off the couch but said something before he walked away. "Um…Sam?"

"Yeah?" I said looking up.

"Thanks for listening."

"No problem. And Mark, don't listen to Derek. You are not a charity project and you can stay here until you find something better for you."

Mark nodded before walking into the kitchen.

I got up off the couch too and walked back to Heather's room to see if she was asleep. I opened the door to see her reading.

"Its bedtime, Heather."

"You promised me a song awhile ago." Heather said as she closed her book. "When we first started the story."

"It's too late, Heather."

"Please?" Heather said giving me her best puppy dog face. Those pleading eyes sucked me again.

"Fine. But only one song."

Heather nodded enthusically. "Okay."

I walked into my room and grabbed my old guitar. I walked back into Heather's room and sat in the creaky chair near her bed.

"After everything that happened today, this song seemed appropriate." I said as I tuned my guitar.

Heather laid her head on her pillow. "Play it."

I strummed the strings and started to sing:

_Your little hands wrapped around my finger  
>And it's so quiet in the world tonight<br>Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreaming  
>So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light<em>

To you, everything's funny  
>You got nothing to regret<br>I'd give all I have, honey  
>If you could stay like that<p>

I looked over to Heather and she looked so precious. She was my little girl, but I realized that she wouldn't be forever. She was going to grow and face obstacles and difficulties that I can't always save her from. That sadden me. I wished she could stay little forever.

_**Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up  
>Just stay this little<strong>__  
>Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up<br>It could stay this simple_

_**I won't let nobody hurt you  
>Won't let no one break your heart<br>**__No, no one will desert you  
>Just try to never grow up, never grow up<em>  
><em><br>And don't lose the way that you dance around  
>In your PJs getting ready for school<em>

I finished the song and looked the Heather, whose face was expressionless.

"Honestly, Dad. That song was a little sad."

I laughed. "Thanks for the honesty, sweetheart."

"That's why I'm here." Heather pulled her comforter over her shoulders. "Good night, Dad."

I walked over to the door and turned off the light switch. "Good night."

I closed the door and walked down the hall. I heard Mark in the living room talking to Beth. It sounded like they were on good terms again.

"I'm sorry, too." Mark said into the phone. "Yeah, I'll sing with you at the talent show. But I think I have a better song idea in mind…Your mom needs to talk to you about something? Okay, I'm going to sleep anyway-"

I closed the door to room and I couldn't hear him anymore. After putting away my guitar, I changed into my pajamas and went to bed.

Hopefully, tomorrow was better.

* * *

><p>The songs used in this chapter were:<p>

"Enchanted" by Taylor Swift

"Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence

"Never Grow Up" by Taylor Swift


	27. Chapter 26: The Path Not Taken

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review! Please forgive any grammatical errors.

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

* * *

><p>"It's been a long time, Sam."<p>

The familiarity of the voice caused my eyes to jolt open. I sat up in my bed and looked at the doorway. Her face, her stance, her smile…was just the same as I had remembered. This couldn't be happening, I thought as I rubbed my eyes with closed fists. It couldn't be…it wasn't possible. I hadn't seen her since she walked out my door all those years ago, and she wouldn't show up randomly in my bedroom of all places. As I dropped my hands from my eyes, reality set in. Mercedes was leaning in the doorway of my room with her arms crossed, smiling in jeans and my old Rolling Stones t-shirt.

"What are you doing here? How did you get into my house?" I asked as my voice tried to communicate the many racing questions going through my mind.

"You know why I'm here." Mercedes said as she walked over and sat at the edge of bed. Crossing one leg underneath the other, she looked at me and smiled. "I'm here because of you. You want me here. You still love as much as did when you were 17. Maybe even more."

"What?"

"This story that you're telling Heather…makes you miss me more, because you have to actual say my name. You have to remember me. You have to feel the emotions tied to your past. You can't hide it anymore. You can't bury me, Heather's early childhood, and everything else." Mercedes shook her head. "You can't do it anymore."

"How do know about the story-How do you-" I stammered before I ran my hand over my face. "God, Mercedes, how did you get in my house?"

She gave a sigh that made her smile melt away. "What happened to us, Sam? One day, we're on top of the world. Then later, you never want to see me again."

"That's not true."

Mercedes looked back to me. "Then why did you say it?"

"I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. I was angry. I was drunk." I said reaching for her arm that she kept out of my reach. "I regret-"

"Do you remember this?" Mercedes said, interrupting my explanation. She tugged the hem of the shirt that she wearing forward. "Do you remember when you gave me this?"

"Of course, I do." I said. "I gave it to you. The night before the wedding."

"Yeah. I love this shirt. This shirt made me fall in love with you again. It gave me the inspiration to fight for you." Mercedes said before she dropped the hem of the shirt. "Most of our relationship, I've spent missing you. You think that I would get over you but it never happened. I fell in love with you when I was 17 and when we broke up I wondered if those feelings were gone but no. When you gave me the shirt off your back, I remembered why I loved you. You're loving, giving, honest, trustworthy." She paused. "I'm getting off topic. Sam, you can't keep up this facade anymore. Heather needs to know now."

"Mercedes is right, Sam."

Turning my head, I saw Quinn standing next to my closet.

I blinked my eyes a few times. Shocked by another person of the past.. "Quinn, how-"

"Not important." Quinn said taking a few steps forward. "When are you going to tell Heather the truth?"

"I should be her godfather." I looked over to see Kurt sitting at my desk. It was official. I had lost my mind.

"Kurt, I explained why Mike and Tina are a better fit."

Kurt shook his head. "It still isn't right."

"I have to agree with Kurt." Blaine said standing beside the desk.

I shook my head and pointed to Blaine. "Blaine, you weren't there before…who else is here?"

Slowly, people were stepping out of the shadows of my room. Puck, Lauren, Santana, and Mike appeared from the left. Matt, Tina, and Rachel appeared from the right. I usually liked glee reunions but this one scared me.

"What's going on?" I demanded.

Rachel stepped forward with a small shoe box in her hands. It was the shoe box that I kept in the bigger box on the top shelf of my closet. Rachel opened the box and reached inside. "Heather's things."

"You have no right to go through that." I said. "Put it back."

Rachel looked at me and gave a condescending smile. "True. But doesn't Heather have a right to know what's in here?" She passed the box to Tina.

Tina looked inside the box. "Sam, do you think that maybe...were just manifestations of your guilt? That you're hallucinating?"

"What?"

Tina looked up from the box and gave me a look that said '_come on'_. "It's no coincidence that we're all here. And it's no coincidence that I'm holding the box that contains the answer to Heather's big question." Tina shook the box. I heard the shuffling of papers and a small object hit the side of the box.

I closed my eyes. "Put the box down."

"When are you going to tell her?" Tina asked crossing her arms.

I opened my eyes and everyone had stepped closer. Then everyone in the room copied Tina's question and began to chant in unison, "When are you going to tell her?"

I used my hands to cover my ears. "Stop. Stop."

"You're getting close to the end, Sam."

Dropping my hands, I was shocked to see the person standing in my doorway. He was one of the last persons I had ever expected to see.

Finn stood tall in the doorway. "Are you ready for how this ends?"

"Finn, you're back?" I asked still shocked. "How? When?"

"Sam." Mercedes leaned forward and grabbed my shoulder. "You should know that-Daddy!"

"What?"

"Daddy! Daddy!" Mercedes said. "Daddy, wake up!"

* * *

><p>I opened my eyes to see Heather shaking my shoulder. "Daddy, you overslept."<p>

"What?" I said sitting up. It was a dream? It felt so real.

"Don't worry. It was just fifteen minutes." Heather shook her head.

Then playfully she said, "You're kinda slacking dad."

I ran my hands over my face. "Heather, how many times have I ever overslept?"

"Three. I kept count. Including on my birthday that one time…"

I laughed. "Get ready for school."

* * *

><p>I hadn't been at school two hours before Heather's school called. A pipe had burst on the first floor of the building and the whole place had to be evacuated.<p>

Before leaving the high school, I told Mark. To my surprise, Beth and Mark actually wanted to volunteer for that talent show that Artie and I were planning. Now, we had three acts for the show…but we needed at least fifteen. Mark said that he would stay after school with Beth to practice and that he would walk home.

After talking with Mark, I went to the office and took a personal day off work so I could pick Heather up.

After picking up Heather, I noticed that she had been quiet.

Walking into the house, Heather went to the couch and flipped on the television. She didn't run to get her notebook.

"Ummm." I said. "Heather, are you okay?"

"She did it again, Dad."

I closed my eyes and did a mental rewind. I thought back on the conversations that we had in the past few days. Who was Heather talking about? I guessed, "Katy?"

"No!" Heather said as she stood and looked at me indignant. "Katy is my friend. Melissa! The girl who is stealing life! Have you not been listening to me for the past few days?"

"Oh." I said remembering. Melissa was Heather's new friend that Heather was convinced was trying to replace her. I thought she was being melodramatic but I wouldn't dare tell her that. "What happened now?"

"She scored higher than me on the Math test." Heather said.

"How is that a problem?" I said walking into the kitchen and pouring myself a glass of water.

"Dad!" Her voice got a pitch higher. "Ms. Rossi made me her tutor. She shouldn't score higher than me!"

I walked back into the living room and sat on couch. She sat next to me. "Heather, I thought we talked about."

"I know. I know." Heather said. "I can't be the best at everything, but the she stole Kevin away from me-" Heather clasped her hands around her mouth as I choked on my water.

"What?" I said. "Who is Kevin?"

"Ah…Um…" Heather said as her cheeks reddened.

I figured by the look on her face that Kevin was a boy that Heather had a crush on. I frowned as I thought about what was the appropriate age to start threatening boys with firearms.

"No one." Heather answered. "I mean…I like him, but he was talking to Melissa in line today. And she knows I like him."

"That doesn't mean anything." I said, cringing on the inside. When did the conversation take this uncomfortable direction?

"I don't want to talk about it." Heather said lowly.

_Thank God_, I thought. "Okay sweetheart. Why don't you get your notebook so I can start the story."

Heather nodded and left to retrieve her notebook. Then she came back with notebook in hand and sat down. "So what is the next part, Dad?"

"The next part starts in the summer…"

* * *

><p>It was July and it was hot. But it wasn't just any hot; it was heat wave hot. The heat wave had cascaded across half of country as depicted on a weather map by the morning meteorologist on Good Morning America that morning. He had also said something about a cool air meeting warm air and there being a thunderstorm, but I wasn't sure. I was too busy trying to turn on the small single fan that on I had placed carefully on a side table. I flopped down on the couch in my new apartment and turned on the television to a marathon of Man vs. Food.<p>

The heat was no joke. As I watched the second episode of the marathon, it must have shot up ten degrees outside, because the heat and humidity had infiltrated my non-air conditioned apartment. I felt my eyes get heavier and my breathing slow down. I sunk down into the couch. I knew I was done for when the sounds of the episode began to mix with the ones in my dreams.

When I woke up and saw the time on my cell phone, I nearly jumped out of my skin, leaping quickly off the couch. I ran into my bedroom that I had only had two weeks to get acclimated to. A barrage of expletives flew from my mouth as I ripped opened the marked boxes of clothes that I hadn't unpacked yet. I flung clothes carelessly everywhere, trying to find my suit. The suit that I was supposed to wear to the wedding tomorrow wasn't in the right box. I sighed and moved to the next box of clothes. I needed to find the suit now since I wasn't coming back to Cleveland until Sunday. Lima was two hours away from Cleveland, so I had decided earlier to just stay at Artie's house for the weekend.

Seeing the black and white suit in the third box caused me to literally pump my fist in the air in victory. I looked around my room and laughed quickly. My room looked like a tornado had hit it by the way the clothes were sprawled out everywhere. But I didn't have time to fix it. I was supposed to have left an hour ago for Finn and Quinn's wedding ceremony rehearsal. I grabbed my Ohio State gym bag and put in a deodorant, toothbrush, and clothes for the weekend. After making sure everything in the apartment was turned off, I threw on socks and sneakers. I didn't even change out of my shirt and jeans before I ran out the door with the suit and gym bag.

* * *

><p>I was the worst best man ever.<p>

First I had been late to the bachelor party and now I was going to be late to the rehearsal. As I changed lanes on the highway, I began to wonder why Finn had picked me instead of Puck in the first place. They had been friends longer and Puck was actually in Lima so he was more easily available. I decided not to think about it since I couldn't answer the question. The radio mix that was actually pretty good, which was rare. As I listened to end of the third song which I think was 'Harder to Breathe' by Maroon 5, the radio host announced that they were going to play a new song. A new song by Mercedes Jones. The words caused my heart gave one huge beat against my ribs. It had not even occurred to me surprisingly that I might see Mercedes at the wedding. Maybe even at the rehearsal. I remembered what I was wearing and I instantly wished that I had worn something other than jeans and an old t-shirt.

After going up to about 80 miles per hour, I had actually made it to Lima in record time. At a stop light, I reached into my glove compartment and pulled out Kurt's directions to the church. On the paper, it said to turn left onto 1st St then make another left at the yellow house. "The yellow house?" I mumbled as I that read it over again. I hated when people use landmarks as directions. Especially when the landmarks aren't there anymore, like the yellow house that I didn't see after I turned on 1st St.

I was twenty minutes late but I found the place. My legs moved quickly up the stone stairs to the church. The large wooden doors were lighter than I expected as I opened it.

I walked into the hot church to find it empty. Not one person was seated in the long wooden pews. I called out hello, but he only reply I received was my own echo. I walked to the front of huge church and collapsed in the front pew. I couldn't believe that I had missed the rehearsal. I was only twenty minutes late. But the sounds of familiar laughs cut though the hot, thick air that had filled the church. Standing up, I followed the sounds through side doors and down a hall. The laughter was coming from a room that had toys in crates beside the door. There was also a sign on the side of the door that said Sunday school room.

I walked to the door and saw the wedding party gathered in the room.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up!" I heard Puck yell as he waved for me to come over. Puck was standing in a group with Mike, Artie, Kurt, and Blaine.

"Hey guys." I said as I maneuvered through empty desks and chairs. After apologizing for being late and congratulating Finn and Quinn, I walked over to a group that Mike, Artie, Puck, Kurt and Blaine had formed on the side of the room. Blaine, Artie, Mike, and Puck seemed to be talking amongst themselves about the wedding tomorrow. Kurt was next to the group talking rapidly into his cell phone.

"Why is everyone in here? I asked standing between Blaine and Mike.

"Because it's hot as hell in the church!" Artie said before he groaned. "I hate heat waves."

"Did you just use hell and church in the same sentence?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah, I guess that was bad wording…"

"Thank-you!" Kurt said in an exuberant way into his cell phone. "I'll pick up the dresses tonight. I know before 9 pm. Got it. Bye." Kurt closed his phone and sighed in relief. "The bridesmaids dresses are ready. Talk about cutting it close."

"Yeah. The wedding is tomorrow, man." I said.

Kurt gave me a shocked look. "When did you get here? Do you know how late you are? You're one of the more important members of the wedding party-_no offense-"_ He said the last part looking at the rest guys. Artie and Puck shrugged while Mike said whatever. "Sam, you cannot be late." Kurt continued to go off on a rant about planning the wedding and how everyone has to be on time. Then he said he couldn't believe that the maid of honor and best man were both late.

"Why were you late?" Kurt finally asked.

Feeling guilty, I rubbed the back of my neck. "I fell asleep."

Kurt's jaw hung a little bit after my explanation. "_Please_ do not tell me that is your excuse."

Blaine elbowed Kurt in side before wrapping his arm around his shoulders. "Relax, Kurt. Sam is here now. That's what matters. When the maid of honor gets here, we can start."

Kurt let out a frustrated grunt before running his hands over his face. The pressures of wedding planning seemed to be really getting to Kurt. "How can I properly plan a wedding rehearsal if everyone comes in late? No one respects time. None of you respect time!"

All of the guys were averting their gazes from Kurt which lead me to guess that I wasn't the only one late. Blaine's face moved inward from a slight cringe. He turned toward with a sympathetic half-smile. "Forgive him-"

"Forgive me?" Kurt said indignantly. "I was two hours early."

Blaine looked at Kurt. "You're making them uncomfortable." He sighed and looked at us. "Kurt has been stressed out with planning the wedding and everything."

"I'm not stressed." Kurt said. "Maybe a little exhausted…"

"If the directions had been a little clearer…" Artie said

"What?" Kurt asked

"Kurt, can I give you some constructive criticism?" Artie said. "Your directions were hard to read. I also got into a car accident after making a wrong turn."

"Could you actually use street names next time?" Mike asked. "Instead of turn left at yellow house on that corner?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "You are all here, right?"

"Thanks to GPS." I added. Everyone laughed.

Puck whispered, "And have you met my kid and hormonal wife?" He stopped looked back to Tina and Lauren who were playing with his and Lauren's son, before continuing. I guess he wanted to make sure that they weren't listening.

Puck continued, "Expect me to be late for everything. Today, she asked me if her outfit made her look fat and I said no. Then she threw a book at me for 'lying' to her. I cannot wait until she has that kid. Pregnant, hormonal Lauren is scary."

"That's called being married." Mike said. "Take the good with the bad."

There were a few random nods among the group.

Blaine spoke up, "I think you take the good with the bad in any kind of long-term relationship. For example, I admire a certain guy for volunteering to plan a wedding but don't like how he can become a little crazy when planning said wedding."

Kurt laughed as he began to text a message on his phone. "I am not crazy."

"What are you doing?" Blaine asked.

"Sending the updated song list to the wedding singer."

Blaine grabbed the phone from a shocked Kurt. "I did it already. Relax."

Kurt smiled and said thank you.

"So…" I said. I had been wondering this since I walked in. "I didn't miss the rehearsal?"

"No. We decided to give everyone an extra half-hour to get here before we started." Mike said.

"Because everyone apparently doesn't own a clock." Kurt said snidely.

"Relax." Blain said a little more sternly. Kurt sat down in one of the chairs. He tilted his head to the side and gave a fake smile, before saying 'Satisfied?'

Blaine responded, "Very."

Blaine turned to the group and looked at me askew. He pointed to my shirt. "Sam what are you wearing? You couldn't get a little more dressed up for the rehearsal then jeans and a Rolling Stones T-shirt?"

"I rushed here!" I said. "I still haven't unpacked my things in my apartment."

"Ahhh, an apartment. The single life. No kids. No wife. Sam." Puck said. We had moved on to talking about the rehearsal, but Puck was still thinking about family life. Or wishing for the single life.

Puck put his hand on my shoulder. "Sam. Sam. Sam."

"Are you drunk already?"

"Sadly, no." Puck said. Then he looked over at Finn who was across the room with his parents and yelled, "_As one of my last single friends_!" I laughed as Finn shook his head at Puck's antics before returning to his conversation with Carol and Burt.

Puck dropped his hand from my shoulder and turned his attention back to me. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Depends."

"Live. Don't get married." Puck said these words like it was a desperate plea. "Live your life, because marriage is just a continuous cycle of-" Puck suddenly stopped as his eyes fixated on something behind me. He shook his head as he looked at me. "Never mind. I'll work on Artie."

"Why?" I asked.

"Look behind you." Puck said.

I turned around and I instantly felt a smile slowly creeping on my face. Mercedes looked around the room like she was trying to find someone that she knew. She rubbed her hand over her upper arm nervously. I thought she was adorable.

I didn't waver when Mercedes caught me staring. When she caught me, her eyes widened a little and it looked like she gasped. Then closed her eyes and scrunched her face like she was embarrassed. My smile grew wider. I would be lying if I said that her reaction wasn't an instant ego boost.

"I'm going over there." I said absentmindedly.

"I figured you would." Puck said.

I maneuvered through the random desks as I walked toward her. I kept looking at her and she looked back. As I learned the hard way, you should pay attention when you're maneuver around objects. While I stared, I didn't see one desk and banged my knee into the metal leg.

I let out a loud, audible 'Ow.' I stopped and bent over to rub my knee. The snickers from the room caused my face to become warm. I looked up and saw Mercedes pressing her lips tightly. She was attempting to hold back a laugh. '_Great_' I mumbled. My ego boost was instantly gone and it was my turn to be embarrassed.

"I think you might have to add klutz below dork on your resume." Mercedes said jokingly. She had started maneuvering through the desks toward me.

"I guess." I said. Mercedes stepped in front of me and I stood back up.

"It's been a long time." Mercedes said. "You look good."

"Thanks. You look amazing." I didn't imagine that blush and smile that appeared on her face. I had missed that smile…or maybe I had just missed her. A few calls here and there didn't seem like enough, but we were just friends and lived far away from each other. So I guess it had to be that way.

After asking about each other's families and the usual 'how are you', the conversation went to the wayside. Mercedes crossed her arms as she looked off to the side. Two minutes passed and we didn't say anything. It felt more awkward as each second passed. It was odd since the conversations usually flowed so easily between us. Now, standing in front of each other, we were struggling for things to say.

"So…umm" Mercedes said rubbing her hand up and down her arm.

"Yeah…"

Mercedes snapped her glance toward me suddenly, her eyes widened. "Football practice!" Her words were a little louder than usual. It was like she had finally thought of something to talk about. "How is practice going?"

"Good. It's a dream to be playing professionally." I said." How is the music thing going?"

"I can't complain."

The conversation we just like that for a while. Our questions and responses were short, quick, and formal. It was way too formal for people who had claimed only a few years ago that they were crazy in love with each other.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Do you want some bottled water?" Mercedes nodded and I walked over to the front of the chalkboard where there was a case of bottled water. I opened the case and grabbed two water bottles out as more of the wedding party began to walk in.

"Can you pass me one?" I turned to see the question had come from a tall blonde-haired woman. I nodded and passed her one of the water bottles in my hand.

"How do you know the bride and groom?" The woman asked opening her water bottle. I felt her eyes watching me.

"High school friends with both of them."

"Wow." She said as if it was the most fascinating of the world. "That long, huh?"

I looked at her confused. "High school was only a few years ago."

"Whatever. I'm a friend of Quinn's." She said extending a hand. I shook it. "Firm handshake. Nice."

"Um, thanks?"

"My name is Bridget. Yours?"

"Sam."

Bridget let go of my hand and tucked some hair behind ear. "So, you're the best man. Tell me, did you come alone?"

My eyes widened slightly. "That's forward."

Bridget shrugged. "Well, when I see something-or someone-I want, I go for it. So, staying with the forward approach, are you single?"

I glanced over at Mercedes who had sat down in a student desk. Mercedes was eyeing us, but she averted her glance when she saw me looking at her. "Sam?"

I turned back to Bridget. "Um, yeah I guess."

"Great. Save me a dance, will you?" Bridget said brushing her hand against my arm before walking away.

I breathed a sigh of relief that that was over. I walked back over to Mercedes, before I realized that I only had one water bottle in my hand.

"She's pretty." Mercedes said nonchalantly, like she was talking about the weather.

"If you say so." I sat in a student desk facing Mercedes. I handed her the water bottle.

Mercedes laughed before taking a sip of water. "Only you could have a girl flirt with you in non-matching socks."

"What?" I said looking down at my socks. One sock was indeed red and the other one was yellow. I had been in such a rush that I had put on non-matching socks. I blushed. "I didn't even notice. I was in a rush to get here."

Mercedes nodded. Then she held water bottle up in front of me and gave an offering shake. "Want some?"

I nodded and grabbed the bottle.

"Why didn't the rehearsal start yet?" She asked.

I took a swig of water. "Apparently we're waiting for the maid of honor to get here."

"Well I guess we can get started since she's here." Mercedes said leaning forward and pointing to herself with her an index finger.

"You're the maid of honor?"

"Yeah." Mercedes breathed.

The smile that spread across her face was infectious, because I felt myself smiling.

"I'm so excited for them." Mercedes said looking at them. "Wow. Look at them, Sam."

I saw Finn and Quinn who had moved to off to a corner with only each other. They giggled at what was probably a joke between them. Quinn laid her head on Finn's shoulder and smiled brightly. I was happy that Quinn finally looked genuinely happy. I turned to Mercedes who was still looking at them.

"Everyone deserves that." Mercedes said softly. "To grow old and happy with someone." The words took me back to when we were seventeen. It took me back to the time when I was going to propose to her. Knowing what I know now, it was the right decision. But in the moments prior when I was determined to propose to her, I felt this unexplainable excited, happy feeling. A feeling that I hadn't felt since then. A feeling that I think seemed to be eluding Mercedes, too.

"Yeah." I said still staring at her. I leaned forward and I was taken aback by perfume. It was different from the one she used to wear, but she still smelled good. I reached across the desks and grabbed her hand. Then I placed my fingers between hers. Mercedes turned back around to me. She blinked her eyes a few times, probably surprised at how close I was. I was happy when she didn't back away, but instead tilted her head and smiled. "You deserve that, too, baby doll."

She leaned her forehead on mine. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." I leaned my face a little closer and I heard her breathing becoming shallower. Our lips were only a few inches apart. "I couldn't help thinking that we were almost there. I had thought it would be us getting married first, when I almost proposed to you when we were seventeen-_almost eighteen_-and I-"

Mercedes' head snapped back. "What!"

I backed up too. "What?" Then my eyes closed and I buried face in hands. I can't believe I just said that. How stupid could I have been to let that slip out?

"You were going to propose to me? When?" Mercedes said loudly from shock. The room instantly went quiet. Everyone turned to us and both of our faces were red, but Mercedes' stare was solid. "You wanted to marry me?"

I heard Puck yell, "Well, that cat is out of the bag."

Mercedes' expression turned from shocked to confused. "Wait…Puck knew. Who else knew and why didn't you…why…" Mercedes had a hard time asking the last question, but I figured I knew what it was.

"Why didn't I go through with it?" She nodded slowly. I sighed. "I think we should talk about this in private, 'Cedes."

Mercedes nodded again. We stood up from our desks and walked into the hallway. Then we walked into another empty room. The room seemed like an office with a bookcase, desk, and couch being the only things in it.

"Sit down." I said gesturing toward the couch. We both sat down. I looked at Mercedes and her face was unreadable. "Are you okay?"

Mercedes shook her head. "There is like a million thoughts going through my head."

"What do you want to know?"

"When." Mercedes said definitively.

I sighed. "Remember that day I came over to watch football at your house. The Browns vs. Bengals game?"

Mercedes nodded.

"Well, I was going to ask for your father's permission that day. Then Deshawn told me that you were accepted to Stanford." I went on to explain to Mercedes that I didn't want her to choose between Stanford and me. I told her about my conversation with Deshawn. I also told her how I thought that it was the right decision not to go through with it. I still do.

After I finished explaining everything, it was quiet. Mercedes looked forward and again her expression was unreadable. I guess she was still trying to process everything.

"Mercedes…can you say something?" I asked

"I don't even know where to start." She shook her head. "Deshawn is a dead man, because my life is not of his business."

"Mercedes-"

She turned to face me. "I'm most disappointed in you."

"Me?"

"Yes! I mean…" Her voice broke a little. "Did you think that little of me to not give me a choice?"

I felt a stab of guilt. "I think highly of you-"

"No!" Mercedes yelled as she stood. She looked down to me on the couch. "I'm so angry with you right now! Did you and Deshawn really sit in my living room and decide my future? And I didn't get a say at all? Did you ever think I-" Mercedes stopped seemingly overcome with anger and frustration. She placed her hand on her forehead. "_God, Sam_-"

"It happened two years." I offered as consolation. Why did I say that? It only infuriated her.

Mercedes pointed quickly and sharply at me. "Don't you dare demean this! You should have discussed it with me and no one else."

I sighed. "What's the point of talking about this now? I mean…would you have married me?"

Mercedes opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She closed her mouth and looked at me in silence. The sounds of the wall clock clicking filled the room as we stared at each other. We seemingly were waiting for the other to say something first. As every second passed, her face softened. Mercedes sat down on the couch next to me and let out a sigh.

Her hesitance in answering my question just made me want to ask it again. "Mercedes, would you have married me?"

"What's the point of talking about it now?" She asked in a mocking tone.

"Really mature."

Mercedes crossed her arms. "Why should I answer Sam, huh? It would just be a game of what ifs, because almost two and a half years ago…you didn't think enough of me to think to discuss potential marriage with me."

"You know that I think the world of you."

"I don't know what to think anymore." Mercedes stood abruptly and walked toward the door. I got up and followed her.

"Mercedes, wait-" I said quickly, but she slammed the door in my face.

* * *

><p>I couldn't believe how angry Mercedes was with me. We were about to walk down the aisle for the wedding ceremony rehearsal, but Mercedes asked if she could walk down the aisle with someone else. Kurt refused saying that the rehearsal has to exactly like the wedding. Mercedes and Kurt had been arguing ever since.<p>

"Mercedes, please link your arm with Sam's." Kurt asked for the third time and this time it sounded more like a plea than a request. Mercedes shot Kurt a glare.

Kurt sighed. "Mercedes, we need to go through at least one complete run of the wedding."

"Come on 'Cedes. It'll be two minutes." I reached for Mercedes hand, but she snatched it away.

"Don't touch me, Sam."

Obviously fed up, Kurt looped his arm with Mercedes and pulled her off to the side to talk to her. Nothing could be heard but the harsh whispers between them. Every once in a while, I did hear things like 'not about you!' and 'your job as maid of honor!'

Then I heard Mercedes say 'fine!' She walked back over and looped my arm harshly.

"A little rough there." I said.

"Don't talk to me." Mercedes said. "I'm still angry with you. Just put a smile on so we can get this rehearsal over with."

"Fine." I scoffed. I was tired of fighting over something that I couldn't change.

* * *

><p>The booming thunder warned of the impending storm coming our way. As I jogged down the stairs, I walked toward my truck which was parked half-way down the street. After getting in through the driver side, I let my head fall against the steering wheel.<p>

"I can't believe that just happened." I mumbled.

I lifted my head and stuck the key into the ignition. I was about to pull off but the passenger door opened and closed abruptly. I looked over to see Kurt looking at me. And he definitely wasn't happy.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kurt asked

"Artie's. I've had enough for one night." The sound of ascending locks caused me to sigh. "Was it necessary to lock the doors, Kurt? I wasn't going to get out of my own truck."

"Do you know what my gift was to Finn and Quinn?" Kurt asked in an almost condescending tone.

I grabbed the top of the steering wheel. "No, but I have a feeling that you're going to tell me."

"My gift was to plan the wedding. For it to go off without a hitch. Everything was great. Besides everyone being late and the color mistake in the bridesmaids' gowns, everything was perfect. That is until you dropped a bombshell before the rehearsal."

"Kurt-"

He interrupted me by putting up his index finger. "You are the best man. Mercedes is the maid of honor. There cannot be any kind of animosity between you two."

"I tried to talk to her." I said lifting my hand up and hitting it against the steering wheel. "But she won't give me the time of day. You saw her in there."

Kurt opened his mouth to say something but I beat him to the punch. "Look, Kurt. I'm sorry. It slipped out. We both caught up in the wedding atmosphere and it brought up nostalgic feelings of my own almost proposal. I brought it up and it's my fault that she is upset. I understand why she's angry and what I really think she needs is time."

Kurt shook his head. "No. There is no time. I know her. Mercedes will not get over this by tomorrow-"

"I didn't say tomorrow-"

"But the wedding is tomorrow and I don't need any drama."

"There won't be."

"I can't risk it. You started this and you need to end it _today_." Kurt said. "I have a plan. You're going to pick up the bridesmaids' dresses from the boutique today."

I looked at him askew. "Why don't the girls have those already?"

Kurt waved his hand as if to dismiss the question. "They were the wrong shade of peach. But that isn't the point of the plan. Mercedes is going with you. Then you are going to take the time to talk to her."

"I doubt Mercedes will go with me."

"Don't worry about that. I'll get her out here and you fix it. Just use your unique charm. It seems to work on her." Kurt opened his door and stepped out, before looking back to me. "Agreed?"

I sighed. What could it hurt? "I'll try."

* * *

><p>I had moved my truck up and parked in front of the church. Leaning against the passenger door of the car, I waited for Mercedes to walk out. It had been thirty minutes since my talk with Kurt and she still hadn't come out. I had begun to think that Kurt's plan had fallen through. That was until I heard the clicking sound of heels against the stone stairs.<p>

"Mercedes" I said lifting myself off the truck. "Are you ready?"

Mercedes stopped on the sidewalk and looked at me confused. "Ready for what? I'm going to pick up the bridesmaids dresses with Blaine."

I returned her confused look, but then closed my eyes in understanding. Kurt must have told Mercedes that she was going with Blaine in order to get her out here. "You're going with me."

"The hell I am. Where is Blaine?" Mercedes crossed her arms and looked down the street for him. She looked the other way. "Where is he?"

"He isn't coming. You're picking up the dresses with me."

Mercedes looked at me. Then her shoulders slumped downward. She realized what had happened. "Kurt lied to me. I can't believe this. First you, now Kurt."

"Yeah, I think he had to." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Mercedes, can we talk?"

"Not now."

"The longer we let it go, the bigger the problem it becomes." I reasoned.

Mercedes turned around and began to walk up the stairs. "I'm still angry, Sam."

I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. Kurt was right. I did need to fix this. I didn't like Mercedes being angry with me and I didn't know when I was going to see her again after tomorrow. "Mercedes wait."

Mercedes had reached the halfway point on the stairs. She spun around. "What."

"I'm sorry. I should have talked to you about it, but I didn't. I didn't talk to you about because I didn't want to be the reason that you gave up on your dreams. I just-I…um…" I paused for a moment. I wanted to get my words right. "Truth is…baby, you were meant for the life that you're living now. Staying with me in Ohio would have stood in the way of that."

Mercedes looked down at me from the stairs and smiled. My words had gotten through.

I smiled before getting down on one knee.

Confusion eclipsed her face. "Sam, what are you doing?"

"Juliet, you are the east!" I said in my best Shakespearean impression. "No-wait-I mean the sun! Does thou art beautiful Juliet forgive thy Romeo?"

Mercedes tightened her lips trying to hold in a laugh. "Sam, stop."

"Thou should not fight it." I said continuing the accent. "You'll forgive me eventually. And you and I both know this to be true."

"Sam-"

"Roses are red, violets are blue-"

"No!" Mercedes yelled, but still laughed at the same time. "I'll forgive you, if you stop."

"As you wish, Juliet."

Mercedes laughed. "You are so corny…you know they both die at the end right?"

"What? Well, I didn't finish the book…" I said mocking myself from a conversation we had two years on the night before she had to move for college.

I stood up as Mercedes walked down the stairs. I walked over to the passenger door and opened it for her. "Ready?"

* * *

><p>"Thank-you so much!" I heard the Mercedes say to the boutique owner as I loaded the plastic-wrapped dresses in the backseat of my truck. On the way to the Hummel-Hudson household to drop off the dresses, I decided to take scenic route that was full of more trees and houses than the highway. Plus, it was a longer drive that gave me more time to talk to Mercedes. We hadn't hung out in a long time.<p>

"So, how does it feel to play for the enemy?" Mercedes asked, referring to my new job as the 2nd string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. "Is your family turning in their Titan jerseys for Brown jerseys?"

"My dad is really struggling with it." I said, remembering a conversation I had with my family one Sunday afternoon. My dad had been having internal conflicts about the Titans ever since the draft. He had been rooting for them since he was a kid. My mom had dropped all allegiance with them when the team insinuated that I was a drug user. "But I think he'll be rooting for the Browns."

"Well, I have no conflict of interest." Mercedes said. "I was already a Browns fan."

"Would you root against the Browns if I was on another team?"

"Huh?" Mercedes said quickly. "I didn't catch that."

I smiled. "Yes, you did. Answer the question."

"I didn't."

I tried to repeat the question, but Mercedes reached for radio knob and began to turn up the radio volume. "What Sam? I can't hear you!"

Then I grabbed the knob and turned the radio down to a more subtle volume. "Simple question. Browns or me?"

Pressing my foot down on the brake, the car stopped at the red light. I looked over to her. She was biting her lip and moving her head from side to side as if it was a hard decision.

"I don't know…"

I frowned. "Really?"

"I'm kidding, Sam. I would cheer for you. Always." Mercedes smiled. "My family is proud of you too."

I glanced quickly over at her surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah." Mercedes laughed lightly off to side like she was remembering something. "My dad swears that the spiral he showed you got you in the NFL. And Deshawn-" Another laugh. "He has a _how many times will Nebraska get sacked _football pool going on."

I started to laugh. "Only Deshawn would think of a way to profit off my pain."

The green light came and I pulled off. Seconds later, I heard the beat of Mercedes' song that I had heard earlier that day. I turned the radio on.

"Isn't this your new song?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Turn it off."

"What? Why?"

"I don't want to hear it."

"It's your song."

"No, it isn't." She said irritated. "That generic mess is not mine."

"Yeah. It's definitely your voice…well your voice heavily autotuned but it's still yours."

Mercedes looked off to the side.

I sighed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just…" Mercedes paused. "That isn't the original version. They ruined my song. They autotuned it and added their crazy beat to make it sound more pop. "

"Why didn't you stop them?"

"They want to revamp my image…" Mercedes explained that her record company wanted her to cross over to the pop charts. They thought the best way to do that would be to make her music more mainstream sounding and change her actually image. "They want me to lose weight."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Well, when they first talked to me about it, they said it was for health." Mercedes said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. It must have been hard for her to talk about. "I overheard them say that I didn't look the part. One of them even said I wasn't 'aesthetically pleasing' …I never let words affect me, but this time was different. It hurt." She sighed. "My mom said that I should tell them to kick rocks but…I don't know what to do. It involves my job. My dream."

"I agree with your mom. They're idiots."

Mercedes gave a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah."

After a quick glance towards Mercedes, I realized that this wasn't a conversation that I could multitask with driving. I pulled my truck over to the side of the road.

"What are you doing?"

I turned the key backwards until the car was off. "I need a stronger answer than yeah."

Mercedes opened her mouth but no words came out, just a gust of air.

"Mercedes?"

"You wouldn't understand."

I leaned back in my seat. "I think I do. Like you said it involves your dream. The people at your record label are supposed to help you, not make you feel inadequate. If they don't have faith in you, who will?"

Mercedes looked out the window. "I just want to sing."

I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Then do that. Have faith and confidence in yourself. You got to where you are looking and sounding like you are. Don't let them change you. A true artist is someone that does their own thing and-" I paused. "I'm not good at pep talks. Do you get what I'm trying to say?"

Mercedes turned toward me and smiled. This time, it was genuine. "Be yourself?"

"Exactly. That is what I'm trying to say. Don't change for anyone." I leaned toward her and lowered my voice to a whisper, "And in case you didn't know, I think you are very pleasing to the eye."

Mercedes leaned forward and looked at me as if she was studying my face. Then she whispered, "Mr. Evans, are you flirting with me?"

I let go of her hand and traced her jaw line with my thumb. "Depends. Is it working, baby doll?"

"I miss you calling me baby doll."

"I missed you." I leaned forward until I was only a few inches from her face. "I miss this."

I caught Mercedes staring my lips as I laid my forehead gently on hers. I really had missed being this close to her. The smell of her perfume made me smile. Her breathe warmed my face and enticed me to kiss her so I could feel her lips again. But I stopped myself. I wanted her to make the next move. I wanted her to return some of my advances. Her line of vision moved to my eyes and I felt my heart beat with anticipation.

"Sam…"

"Yeah…" I closed my eyes for our kiss, but it wasn't what I expected. I felt a quick peck on my cheek and Mercedes quickly move away.

I opened my eyes confused.

Mercedes stammered slightly. "I-I'm sorry, Sam. I don't want to-"

"Its fine." I said quickly as I sat fully back on my side. My body felt warm as the feelings of embarrassment and rejection set in. "I shouldn't have been so forward. I shouldn't have tried to kiss you." I turned the key in the ignition quickly, so I could drive to our destination faster.

Mercedes covered her face with her hands. "That isn't what I meant." She dropped her hands. "I didn't think that we should kiss because it would just bring up old feelings and I leave tomorrow right after the wedding reception. What's the point, you know?"

Her explanation didn't make help with the embarrassment. "Whatever."

I turned the key and pressed my foot down on the petal. The car had moved only a few feet when I heard a sputtering noise. I groaned, "Not again."

"What is it?" Mercedes asked.

"I think my car is breaking down."

"What? We have to get these dresses to Kurt." Mercedes said pointing to a backseat full of bridesmaids' dresses, behind us.

"Perfect." I said sarcastically as I got out of the car. I closed my door before walking to the front of the car. A gust of smoke greeted me as I opened the hood of the truck. After about twenty minutes of looking through the engine, I couldn't figure out what was wrong. A few rain drops had fall on my back and I decided to call AAA. It was about to rain and this car was in no condition to drive. I heard a car door open and close.

"Do you need any help?" Mercedes asked.

"I'm just going to call AAA. I don't know what's wrong with my truck."

"I think we should call Kurt, too. He can just pick the dresses up."

I nodded. I walked around to driver side and pulled the handle, but the door wouldn't open. I pulled again and again, but the door wouldn't open. "Mercedes! Is your door locked? I left my keys in the car."

I heard Mercedes trying to open her door repeatedly to no avail. "Sam, my door is locked and my cell phone is in the car!"

I closed my eyes and silently prayed that my phone was in my pocket, but as I reached in, I felt no phone. I looked through the car window only to see my cell phone stare back at me from my cup holder. I sighed. "My phone is the car too."

I looked around there was no gas station in sight. We were parked next to a park with a few trees and on the other side there were two boarded up stores that were obviously no longer in business.

"Is that rain?" Mercedes asked in a panic.

The few drops had become a steady stream and Mercedes was not happy.

"My hair!" Mercedes yelled.

"Your hair is fine." I said while tugging at the car door handle one more time, hoping by some miracle that it opened. "Redo it when you go back to the hotel."

Mercedes looked at me like I was insane. "I can't just redo my hair when I get back. Quinn's wedding is tomorrow early in the afternoon. I can't get it done by then."

I sighed as I felt my felt my own hair cling to my face. Grabbing the hem of my shirt, I lifted it over my head. I pulled down the undershirt that come up a little.

"What are you doing?" Mercedes asked.

I walked over to Mercedes and handed her my Rolling Stones t-shirt. "This is all I could think of. Put it on your head to cover your hair."

Mercedes said thanks before quickly fashioning my t-shirt into a makeshift bandana. I pressed my lips together to suppress a laugh, but a snort came through.

She glared at me. "I swear you better not laugh."

"Kinda hard not to."

* * *

><p>The rain had come down harder, so we decided to seek some kind of shelter. We walked into the park and went up a hill and found a huge thick weeping willow tree that shielded us from the rain. After about ten minutes, I went back down the hill to the truck to try more one time and see if I could fix the truck. I had no success, but a man walking his dog was nice enough to me use his phone after he saw I was broke down. I called AAA and Kurt and both said that they were on their way. I walked back up the hill and underneath the tree. I shook my head to get the excess water out of my hair. I looked up to see Mercedes laughing.<p>

"You look like a wet dog."

"Hahaha." I said. "I called AAA and Kurt."

"Okay…Good." She said each word between a few laughs.

I rolled my eyes before taking my undershirt off and ringing it out. Surprisingly, it held a lot of water. It took a few moments before I realized that the laughter had stopped. I put my undershirt back on and turned to see Mercedes staring at me.

"Mercedes?"

Mercedes widened as if she had just realized what she was doing. She quickly turned away like she was embarrassed and started to rub her upper arm.

"Were you checking me out?

"Don't be so full of yourself."

"You didn't answer the question."

She sighed. "Um…no…are you working out even more?"

I grinned. "Football practice."

I walked over and sat at the base of the tree next to Mercedes.

She looked at me. "Can we forget that just happened?"

"No way."

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes had passed and no one had showed up. We sat and watched the rain come down, which was calming and relaxing. Well, it was obviously more relaxing for one of us when Mercedes started to yawn.<p>

I looked toward her. "Tired?"

She nodded. "I took a really early flight to get here."

I patted my lap. "Wanna lay your head down?"

Mercedes looked at me apprehensively. "I don't know."

"I don't bite 'Cedes."

Mercedes gave in and stretched out on her side before laying her head on my lap. After a few minutes, I started softly rubbing her head. I smiled as my fingers repeatedly went over the word 'Stones' above her ear. Mercedes had closed her eyes and started a circling motion with her fingers on the top of my leg. I never stopped smiling as I leaned my head back against the tree. It was the most content I had felt in a long time.

"Sam."

"Yeah?"

"Can you sing to me?"

"Of course." I started to sing,

_So excuse me forgetting but these things I do  
>You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue<br>Anyway the thing is what I really mean  
><em>_**Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen**_

And you can tell everybody this is your song  
>It may be quite simple but now that it's done<br>I hope you don't mind

_**I hope you don't mind that I put down in words  
>How wonderful life is while you're in the world<strong>_

By the time, I finished singing "Your Song" by Elton John, she had shifted so the back of her head was on my lap and she was facing me.

Mercedes was staring up at me.

"What are you thinking about?"I asked.

"Life." Mercedes sat up and I turned my body to completely face her. "Sam, I would have said yes if you had asked me to marry you before."

A smile widened across my face. I ran my hand over her cheek. "I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything." Mercedes said before accosting me with a kiss. I inhaled sharply through my nose before pulling away.

"I thought you didn't want to bring up old feelings?"

Mercedes breathed, "Too late for that."

I smiled and kissed her back, but it was short lived. Soon, the yelling of an anxious wedding planner became louder than the rain.

"Sam! Mercedes!" Kurt yelled. "Where are you!"

We looked forward to Kurt and Blaine walking up the hill.

"YES! We found you both safe!" Kurt sighed heavily. Instantly, friendly Kurt was gone and nervous wedding planner Kurt returned as he yelled, "Now where are the dresses!"

Blaine tilted his head. "Mercedes, why are you wearing Sam's shirt on your head?"

* * *

><p>"Sam, wait!"<p>

I dropped my hand and turned around. I was about to knock on Artie's door before I heard Mercedes call my name. Mercedes jogged up the steps and met me on the porch.

"Do you want your shirt back?" Mercedes said as she lifted the shirt in her hand. "It stopped raining."

"No." I said. "You keep it. Something to remember me by."

Mercedes frowned. "Remember you by? Sam, I'll see you again after tomorrow."

"When? 6 months? A year?"

Mercedes crossed her arms. "Sam…you know, I can't really control that. I have to go and perform when the record company needs me to. It's my job."

I half-smiled. "Yeah…I know."

Mercedes sighed. "Sam…I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded. "Tomorrow." I watch as she walked down the stairs and got into the backseat of Kurt and Blaine's car.

I waved as they drove off.

* * *

><p>It was warm that day. The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I guess some people would say that it was the perfect day for a wedding. Now, the only thing that had to be done was to calm down the groom.<p>

"Are you really ready for this?" Puck asked Finn, who was fixing with his tie for the fourth time.

All of the groomsman and Finn were in our designated room getting ready for the wedding. The groomsmen consisted of the glee guys: Puck, Artie, Blaine, Mike, Matt and me. Matt still wasn't speaking to me but differences were put aside for Finn's sake.

"Yeah. Why do you ask?" Finn said now moving on to fixing his jacket.

"Because you're fixing something that isn't broken." Mike said. "Let go of the jacket. You're fine."

Finn dropped his hands and ran his hands through his hair. "Man, this is really happening. I'm getting married."

"Yeah…that would explain why we're all here." Blaine said. "In matching suits."

Finn got up and started walking back and forth across the room.

"Finn, are you getting cold feet?" I asked.

"Me? No." His pitch was a little higher than usual. His pace picked up.

"If you keep walking back and forth, you're going to burn a hole in the floor." Artie said.

"The wedding favors!" Finn said as ran his hands upward on his face. "I forgot the wedding favors. I have to pick up the wedding favors! I'll be back!" Finn started briskly walking toward the door.

"We got a runner." Puck said.

I quickly got up from my seat and stood in front of the door, blocking Finn. "You're not going anywhere."

"I'm sure that Kurt has everything covered." Blaine said grabbing a water bottle from the small refrigerator.

"Finn, if you're not ready, please say so now." Puck said. "We really don't need anyone to leave anyone at the altar."

"Of course, I'm ready to marry Quinn. I love her." Finn said walking over to a chair and sitting down. He immediately began to rub his hands back and forth on his pant legs. "I have no idea why I'm so nervous."

"Alcohol?" Puck offered. "I can get you some. Things will go a lot smoother."

Finn closed his eyes and squinted his face like he was truly thinking about it.

"No." Blaine said. "If you have to drink to get through something, then you shouldn't do it."

Finn sighed. "It's not the idea of marrying Quinn that scares me. It's just that everything is going to different. Nothing will be the same. Nothing will be me. I'm not a me anymore. I'm a us."

"Is that a bad thing?" Mike asked.

Finn shrugged. "I don't know."

"It isn't a bad thing." Puck said. "Listen, I joke a lot but marriage is a good thing."

I leaned against the door. "Finn, if you didn't think it was a good thing, you wouldn't have proposed to her. I think when you see her coming down the aisle the nerves will be replaced with excitement. With happiness."

At that moment, Finn closed his eyes and started to smile.

"What are you doing?" Matt asked

"Did you just let one go?" Puck asked, pinching his nose

"Shut up. No." Finn said. "I just pictured Quinn coming down the aisle and I feel better."

"That is so corny." Artie said.

Finn opened his eyes and looked around to all of us. "Thanks, Sam. Thanks all of you. I'm ready."

"Thank God." Blaine said. "Because I did not want to have to explain to Kurt-"

Knocking at the door interrupted Blaine. I opened the door and Kurt walked in.

"The girls are ready!" Kurt said. "The wedding can begin. Places everyone!"

Kurt pointed toward the door and everyone started to slowly file out.

"Finn!" Kurt said. "What did you do to your tie?" Kurt walked over and quickly adjusted it.

"Thanks." Finn mumbled.

"Let's go." Kurt said walking out of the room behind Mike. The only people left in the room were Finn and me.

"Finn, can I ask you something?" I said.

"Yeah. Anything."

"Why did you pick me as the best man?"

Finn laughed and smacked me on the shoulder. "Because you're my friend. Lifelong."

* * *

><p>"Line up! People, line up!" Kurt said. In the front, Brittany and Matt paired up, ironically. Then going back it was Puck and Lauren, Mike and Tina, Blaine and Bridget, Artie and Ashley (one of Quinn's friends) and finally Mercedes and I. Bridget and Ashley had to fill the voids left by Rachel and Santana. Neither wanted to attend the wedding for obvious reasons. Santana was about to give birth and was not on good terms with several members of the wedding party, including me. Rachel…I guess it was too painful.<p>

Quinn stood behind the ring bearer and flower girl. She looked beautiful. Mr. Jones stood next to her. He had volunteered to walk her down the aisle, because Quinn's father…never came back after he left with the tattooed woman. I was happy that Quinn's mom came. She had gotten sick over the last few years.

"Okay, when I say go, Brittany and Matt led the line. Then when I say go again, the next pair goes. And so on and so forth." Kurt said explaining.

I felt my arm being tugged and I looked to Mercedes, whose arm was looped with me. She was picking the edge of her dress that had formed a train on the floor.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"No." She whispered. "The dress maker made my dress too long." She clutched the edge of her dress. There was so much dress that it cascaded from her hand. "Did they think I was 6 ft tall?"

I chuckled. "It's okay. You make up for the height with personality."

I felt a small elbow jab in my side. "Not funny."

Everyone in front of us straightened up with the wedding music began to play. Kurt yelled go and Brittany and Matt began to walk.

Mercedes let out a very subtle sigh. She whispered so only I could hear, "Sam…don't let me fall."

I tightened my arm around hers. "Never."

* * *

><p>"Drop it, Mike." I said pushing food around with my fork.<p>

"Sam, you need to talk to Matt." Mike said. "Do you really want to lose your friendship with him?"

"Mike-"

Mike put his hand up and continued talking. "You both are going to play on the same NFL team. You both are going to see each other regularly now. You need to talk to him. You don't want this to affect your game."

"It won't."

"Sam."

"Can I eat?"

"You've been pushing the same food around for the past ten minutes. If you wanted it, you would have eaten it by now."

I glared at Mike and dropped my fork. "Where is he?"

I followed Mike to a room next to the reception hall. Matt was on his cell phone.

"Santana, don't move around too much." He paused. "Because the doctor said so. Just relax and let Rachel take care of you." He paused again and sighed. "Santana, don't call her a hobbit. She's just trying to help. Ok bye."

Matt closed his cell phone, before looking up at us. He frowned. "Mike, what is he doing here?"

Mike backed up toward the door. "You two are going to work out your problems."

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"What's good for you." Mike said before opening the door and leaving the room. I heard the click of the lock.

I turned toward the door. I warned, "Mike, open the door."

"I will when you both fix this." Mike said from outside the door. "Fix it now."

I turned around to Matt. "Matt-"

"I don't want to hear it." Matt walked away and sat in an empty fold-up chair. "I really don't."

"He won't let us out unless we talk."

Matt rolled his eyes. "Screw Mike. I'm not five years old. I don't have to do anything."

"Then let me talk." I said. "I'm tired of trying to apologize to you, so this will be the last time. I was wrong. I'm sorry that I chose Santana's side over yours and I'm sorry that I lied to you."

Matt shrugged his shoulders. That obviously wasn't enough.

I sighed. "I don't understand. You forgave everyone but me. Why?"

"You still don't get it." Matt stood up. "Because you were my best friend. The guys from glee are my friends too but I hadn't seen them in years. Everyone had changed so much after I left. When I went to McKinley, Santana was straight. But anyway I met you in college and you became my best friend. We had the same goals and I confided everything to you."

"I'm sorry. Matt, I can't change the past."

Matt sighed. "I know."

"But I can promise that I will never lie to you again. You have my word on that."

Matt looked at me for a moment. His stare was steady and stern. Then suddenly his shoulders dropped. "Okay." He sighed. "I'm tired of being angry anyway."

I nodded. "So…are we cool?"

"Yeah, man."

* * *

><p>I watched as everyone danced to Party Rock Anthem from the wedding party table. Everyone was having a good time and it was nice to see it.<p>

"I believe you promised to save me a dance." I looked up to see Bridget.

"I don't think that I exactly promised." I said.

Bridget laughed. "Well, may I have this dance anyway?"

I was about to answer, but then I saw Mercedes walk into the reception hall. She was talking to Kurt.

"Sorry." I said. "But I only ever save a dance for one girl."

Bridget followed my line of vision and chuckled. "I've seen that look from a guy before. Go to her. I wouldn't stop you."

I stood and smiled. "You know, Artie loves to dance."

Bridget looked pass me over to Artie, who was near the DJ station. "Really?"

"Don't let looks fool you. The guy can move."

"Thanks." Bridget said walking past me toward the DJ station. I walked in the opposite direction toward Mercedes, but was stopped short by the bride.

"Thanks, for the something borrowed, Sam. Used the promise necklace as a bracelet." Quinn lifted to show me the necklace wrapped around her wrist.

"Glad I could help." I said. "Well…is today everything that you imagined?"

Quinn shook her head. "It's more. So much more." She sighed and started to wave her hands in front of her face. "Oh my gosh, I'm about to cry. Anyway have fun. I'm just making my rounds to thank everyone."

I gave Quinn a quick hug. "Have fun Quinn. It's your day."

* * *

><p>"Great job, Kurt." I said walking toward Kurt and Mercedes. I stopped and stood next to Kurt. "Everything looks great."<p>

"It was definitely worth the three gray hairs I got." Kurt said.

Mercedes and I laughed, but Kurt didn't. "I'm not kidding. I found them on my head this morning. Finn owes me so big."

"Well, I think you would look nice in gray hair, Kurt." Mercedes said.

"Don't even joke."

"You look amazing, 'Cedes." I said as I looked at her.

"You too." She said returning my gaze. We stared for about ten seconds before Kurt got uncomfortable.

"I feel like I'm interrupting something." Kurt said taking a few steps forward. "Where is Blaine?"

After Kurt left, I took a step closer to Mercedes. "I have something that I want to ask you."

"Me first." Mercedes said. "Sam, I'm sorry that I blew up at you earlier. With everything going on with the record label, I couldn't help but think that I had gone on the wrong path. We could have gotten married and lived happily ever after in Ohio. I could have been with a guy who tells me I'm beautiful and not ask me to change. I could have-"

"Stunned." I added. "You would have been stifled. You wouldn't have tried for your dreams."

"I know, but I just wanted to tell you that." Mercedes said, shifting her feet a little. "What did you want to say?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you for this dance." I said, holding my hand out.

"I would love-"

"Mercedes!" We looked behind us to see a short, brown-haired woman running toward us with a cell phone and notepad.

"That's my assistant, Emma."

"Mercedes!" Emma said slightly out of breath. "The label called. They need you to leave earlier."

Mercedes blinked her eyes a few times. "I only asked for two days off. How much earlier do I have to leave?"

"Ummm…" Emma said nervously. "They want you in New York tomorrow morning for a meeting, so you would have to catch a plane tonight. I checked and the only plane leaves at 6:45 pm. You would have to leave right now to catch it."

I frowned and shoved my hands in my pockets. "Duty calls."

"Emma." Mercedes said. "Tell them that I'll be there."

I tried to ignore the feeling of my heart slowly sinking. "Have a good flight and-"

"Tomorrow." Mercedes said, smiling at me. "Like we agreed on."

"What?" Emma and I said at the same time, shocked.

Well, Emma seemed even more shocked because she almost dropped her notepad. She blinked her eyes few times. "You want me to tell them what?"

"Tell them that I will be there tomorrow like we agreed." Mercedes said. "Tonight, I'm going to celebrate my friends getting married and dance."

I smiled. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, are you sure?" Emma asked disbelievingly.

"Yes. I want to dance." Mercedes said reaching her hand out toward me. I pulled my hand out my pocket and grabbed hers.

"Awesome, because I can't wait to show you my new dance move." I said pulling her to the dance floor.

Mercedes laughed. "Oh God."

Mercedes and I, along with everyone else, danced the night away.

* * *

><p>"Awww." Heather said. "That was sweet."<p>

I smiled. "It was a good day."

"So…what happens next?"

"Well…the first string quarterback gets hurt and I become a starter. All the Cleveland Brown fans are in an uproar that I'm the main quarterback, because of the drug scandal. Until I start winning then everyone loves me. Then I start getting compared to legendary quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and Michael Vick. I'm being called rookie of the year and I get on the cover of GQ magazine. Then the Browns go to the playoffs for the first time in years, but we lost in the second round to the Jets. Anyway, my one-year contract ran out so the Browns offered me a $50 million deal with $25 million guaranteed. So, then the next year, the team gets better, although our defense was questionable. We sucked in the red zone-"

Heather sighed heavily. "That is nice and all, Dad. But what about the girls? What happened to them?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Sorry my life in the _NFL _was so boring. Well, Santana had MJ and became a permanent writer for Time Magazine. Mercedes was gaining recognition as an artist and Quinn was happy. Quinn eventually sent me another letter along the promise necklace."

"The letters in the big box from Quinn-" Heather said. "Can I read them?"

"Later." I said.

Heather nodded. "So…what now?"

I smiled, "Did I ever tell you about the time your dad went to the Superbowl?"

"Yes." Heather sighed. "I'm starting to think that you're just using this story as an excuse to relive your glory days…"

* * *

><p><strong>The only song used was "Your Song" by Elton John.<strong>

**What did you guys think?**


	28. Chapter 27: You and I

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review! Please forgive any grammatical errors.

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

* * *

><p>"35 blue! Hut!" I yelled, before I heard the clashing of helmets as offensive line and defensive line collided. The ball had been passed to me and I ran back four yards to get a better view of the field. I scanned the field. All of the wide receivers were covered and-<p>

"Hold the ball. Hold the ball." I thought as I felt a lineman ram into my side. It had been the fourth time that I'd been sacked and we weren't even at halftime yet. I got up off the ground to see the lineman that tackled me doing an air guitar victory dance. Looking up at the score board, it was 4th and 16. I took my helmet off and started to jog off to the Browns side as Matt and special teams came on the field.

"What happened out there, Evans?" An assistant coach asked as I sat on the bench.

I shook my head. "I didn't see him coming."

I looked back up at the score board and saw the score. I shook my head again.

_Cleveland Browns 9 - Tennessee Titans 28_

We had only scored field goals during the first two quarters, while the Titans had scored a touchdown on every drive.

Boos erupted throughout Vanderbilt Stadium in the middle of Nashville as Matt kicked another field goal to make the score 12-28. The last twelve seconds ran off the clock as both teams jogged toward the tunnels to retire and regroup to their locker rooms for halftime.

As I was jogging toward the tunnel, I stopped in the entrance when I heard someone yell, "_Nebraska!_"

As my teammates went past me, I looked up into the crowd of blue and white Tennessee Titans jerseys to see who had yelled that. The only person who called me that was-

"Nebraska! Don't act like you don't know me!"

Following the voice, I saw two lone brown and orange jerseys in the front row. One was Mr. Jones. The other person was Deshawn-with the bullhorn in hand.

I stood there a little in shock at seeing them.

"What cat got your tongue, Nebraska?" Deshawn asked into the bullhorn. "You never were the brightest one."

"What are you guys doing here?" I yelled over the loud boos of the crowd directed toward me. I had expected the fans to be a little more welcoming since I was from Nashville. But I guess coming into the stadium in enemy colors with the intentions of taking the Vince Lombardi Trophy away from them crushed any kind of home welcoming.

"The game!" Mr. Jones said into the bullhorn. "I've been waiting my entire life to see the Browns in the Superbowl. To win!"

"Don't give your hopes up!" Another Browns fan yelled from a few rows up.

Mr. Jones shook his head. "Have a little faith."

Deshawn took the bullhorn. "We don't need faith! We need for Evans to score a damn touchdown! And to answer your previous question, we're also here for the half-time show to see the surprise musical guest."

"Who is it?" I asked. The main act was Beyonce, but there had been rumors that Kelly Clarkson was the surprise guest to close out the halftime show. Bringing a 'surprise guest' was a tradition that the NFL had started a few years ago to create buzz about the half-show and increase viewership.

Deshawn ran his hand over face. "Okay, country boy. Why would we come all the way from Lima to Nashville to see a musical guest?"

'Mercedes' I thought. A small smile crept on my face. I hadn't seen her since the wedding back in July.

"What did my sister see in you?" Deshawn asked.

I rolled my eyes at his question. Then I saw Mrs. Jones walked down the aisle with food and drinks in her hand.

"I know one thing." Deshawn said. "The Bengals would've had this game in the bag!" He turned to the crowd. "Next year, the Bengals will be victorious!" In response, the crowd threw some wrappings and empty cups at his head. "Haters!"

As I saw the last few members of my team go into the tunnel, I knew it was time to go.

I yelled, "I gotta go!" before running into the tunnel.

"You gotta score some touchdowns!" I heard Deshawn say in the distance.

* * *

><p>"Get your heads in the game!" The head coach yelled. It sounded more like a warning than an encouragement. He looked at players on the offensive line. "Protect the quarterback! There shouldn't be four sacks in one game, let alone the first half!" Then he turned to the defensive line. "We need you to stop some of their plays! They can't keep scoring touchdowns, when we only score field goals!"<p>

"And Evans!" I looked up to see the coach throwing his hat on the ground. "Damnit! Get that ball within 30 yards of the endzone! It hasn't happened once this entire game."

Then Coach did a full scan of the room. "Pull yourselves together! Be a team!"

Coach walked out of the locker room, leaving the team even more discouraged then when we walked in the locker room.

There were a few groans and locker slams but no one said anything. There was a sense of hopelessness and despair in the locker room.

"What an enlightening speech." Matt said sarcastically as he sat down next to me.

"We need to do something." I said. "It just seems like everyone has given up."

"Have you seen the score?" Matt asked. "We need three touchdowns!"

I shrugged. "Or two touchdowns and a field goal."

We heard a few balls drop and looked over toward the 2nd string kicker. He had accidently knocked over some equipment.

"I don't like to talk about people but that guy sucks." Matt said. "He kept missing 30-yard kicks in practice. Only 30 yards! And since he got picked up in the middle of the year, he hasn't ever played in a real NFL game."

"How did he make the team?" I asked

Matt shrugged. "He's a good kicker. He just cracks under pressure."

I shook my head. "It isn't important. What we need to do is help with the team's spirit. I can't believe that our team is giving up already."

"Well, what are you going to do about it, _team captain_?" Matt said pointing at the label on my uniform that showed that I was one of the team captains. "We need some leadership right now."

I sighed. "Well, here we go." I stood up and walked to the spot that Coach had standing only minutes earlier. Hopefully, my speech would go over better.

"Coach was right about one thing." I said loud enough that it caused everyone to turn around.

"About what exactly, Evans?" One of the members on special teams asked.

"We need to be a team." I said and there were more a few groans came from all around the room.

"What we need to do is close the gap between the scores so it isn't so embarrassing." Another lineman said.

"No!" I said. "We're going to get a score that will beat theirs."

My eyes widened slightly from shock when I heard a few laughs. Was my team that far gone? I stepped on top of the bench in front of me. I need to get my team believing again.

"Do you know why we're in the Superbowl?" I asked. "Because we are one of the best damn teams in this league. I wouldn't let anyone write us off, including ourselves." I looked around the room and there were still some less than convinced faces.

"When they said our defense was terrible, what did we do?" I asked. "In the next game, we shut out the Patriots to a score of 21-0. Remember last year? When the analysts predicted that we would only win two games? We won twelve just to shut them up. We've shocked the country before and we can do it again."

I looked around the room and some people had come around. But not everyone.

"We started all those games ahead in the score." One of the wide receivers said. "We never had to come back. Especially not from a 16 point deficit."

"We can do it!" I said more enthusically. "Isn't that when you show true greatness? When you come back and win, even if the odds are stacks against you?" If the defense can hold the other team off, _I promise_ I will get that ball in the endzone." Some people perked up at that. "We have to do this. We have to at least try to go down in history as champions."

"I don't know…" The same wide receiver said.

I shook my head. "If you don't do for yourselves, win this game for Cleveland. Let's give this city something that they've never had before. A Super Bowl championship."

Matt pumped his helmet in air. "For Cleveland!"

Slowly other team members started to join in chanting, 'For Cleveland!" Then eventually the entire team came around started chanting, "Believe for Cleveland!"

Maybe we could pull this off.

* * *

><p>After a few minutes, the team had settled down and started to get mentally prepared for the second half. I was listening to my Ipod when I felt a tap on my shoulder; I looked up to see Matt.<p>

"Follow me." He said.

I followed Matt down a hall to a room far in the back. We stood in front of the door when Matt starting knocking.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"You'll see."

"Emma! I just need a second to think!" I heard Mercedes say from behind the door.

I snapped my head to Matt. "Why didn't you tell me that this was Mercedes' dressing room?"

He shrugged. "Surprise? Just kidding, she asked me to bring you."

The door swung open and Mercedes stood there. Emma gave a small wave before walking out.

"Bye." Matt said before he started walking back down the hall.

We stood there for a few moments alone. Mercedes smiled with her hand still on the knob. "Oh! Sam come in! I'm so rude."

"Hi." I said walking into the room. I heard the door close and I turned around to see Mercedes leaning against the door.

"They're really sacking you out there, huh?" She said.

I smiled. "So, you're the special musical guest."

Mercedes lifted off the door and nodded her head. "Yeah. Don't tell anyone."

I chuckled. "Your secret is safe with me."

"Listen, Sam." Mercedes said. Her tone turned more serious. "I have a few minutes before I have to go on stage. Um…wow, this is harder than I thought it would be."

"What is it?"

She crossed her arms. "Sam, I just wanted to tell you that...you did it!"

I narrowed my eyes, confused. "What?"

"Remember our date underneath the stars? I told you that someone as amazing as you was destined for something great. And now you're at the Superbowl. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks. I'm proud of you too and-"

"No, Sam." Mercedes closed her eyes and shook her head. "I lied."

"What?"

Her eyes popped opened. "No! Not that! I really am proud of you, but that wasn't what I was originally going to say." Mercedes seemed nervous and I had no idea why. Her hands masked her face as there was a knock at the door.

It was Emma. "Mercedes, they need you now!"

I walked over to Mercedes. "'Cedes, what's wrong? Are you nervous about the show, because you're going to be great." I grabbed her shoulders. "I know you will."

I could see her half-smile through her fanned out fingers. "Thanks, but there is something I really need to tell you."

Mercedes dropped her arms and took a deep breath. "Sam, I love you."

My mouth opened a little and I dropped my arms. To say I was taken aback was an understatement. It was the last thing I had expected her to say.

Mercedes sighed. "I know we haven't really been around each other for the past couple of years. But I think you love me too, by the way you looked at me during Finn and Quinn's wedding. I want you back. I miss you." She paused. "If you're not ready to say 'I love you' back, then don't say anything."

I smiled. "I said to you when we were 16. We were standing on the porch and that was the first time I had said it to you out loud."

Mercedes shrugged. "I guess I'm returning the favor…can you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Listen to my performance. It's for you."

* * *

><p>"So she really said 'I love you'." Matt said as we ran up the stairs. "And what did you say?"<p>

"I just stood there with my mouth open." I said.

Matt smacked his forehead. "Dude, you blew it."

"I thought I did too." I said as we reached the top stair. "But she wasn't mad. 'Cedes said that she wanted me to hear her song."

Matt and I walked to the edge. I leaned forward against the rail.

"Singing her feelings through song?" Matt asked. "How very Glee club."

Matt and I stood on a secluded platform section of the stadium for the players we could a better look at the half-time show. Beyonce was finishing her last song and said that the special guest was about to come out.

"Are y'all ready for one more act?" The 'Crazy in Love' singer asked the crowd. The crowd cheered and hollered in response. "Well, introducing Ms. Mercedes Jones!"

A small square section of the stage opened and Mercedes was elevated to the stage as security got Beyonce off the stage discreetly.

"How is everyone doing tonight?" Mercedes asked into the microphone. Everyone cheered just enthusically as before. I smiled. Mercedes was living her dream.

"Tonight, I wanted to a new song to you all." Mercedes said. "It's a song that I wrote about a boy." People started to cheer again, but this time it was mixed with cat calls and whistling. "This is a song about a boy named Nebraska. I hope he's out there watching."

The background music started to play. "I wanted to tell him that:

_It's been a long time since I came around  
><em>_**Been a long time but I'm back in town**__  
>This time I'm not leaving without you<br>__**You taste like whiskey when you kiss me, oh  
>I'd give anything again to be your baby doll<br>This time I'm not leaving without you."**_

Mercedes began to talk a little during the song. "You know, we went on a date here in Nashville." More cheering from the crowd. "This place is dear to his heart. One time he told me that there's:_  
><em>

_**Something, something about this place**__  
>Something 'bout lonely nights and my lipstick on your face<br>__**Something, something about my cool Nebraska guy**__  
>Yeah something about, baby, you and I."<em>

Mercedes paused. "Well, sadly, Nebraska and I broke up a few years back." There were some _awws_ in the crowd, mostly from girls. "But I want to fight for this boy. I miss his jokes and his music. Well:_  
><em>

_**It's been three years since I let you go,  
>I couldn't listen to a joke or rock 'n roll<br>**__Muscle cars drove a truck right through my heart  
>On my birthday you sang me a heart of gold<br>With a guitar humming and no clothes  
>This time I'm not leaving without you.<br>Ooh-oh ooh-oh_

_Something, something about this place_  
><em>Something 'bout lonely nights and my lipstick on your face<em>  
><em><strong>Something, something about my cool Nebraska guy<br>**__Yeah something about, baby, you and I."  
><em>

The crowd started to cheer even louder, when Slash came up through the stage for a guitar solo. No one screamed as loud as Matt. Yes, I said scream.

"It's Slash!" Matt yelled jumping up and down. "Woah! Sam, do you see this!"

"No!" I said. "I'm too focused on the girl proclaiming her love for me in front of millions of people."

Matt flagged me off. "Forget that! It's Slash!"

I looked down at Mercedes as she sang,

"_We got a whole lot of money, but we still pay rent  
>'Cause you can't buy a house in Heaven<br>__**There's only three men that I'm a serve my whole life  
>It's my daddy and Nebraska and Jesus Christ."<strong>_

Mercedes paused and started talking again. But this time, she spoke directly toward me. "Nebraska, if you're out there, I've been in love with you ever since I first time I saw your face. Six years ago. When we were sixteen. I wanted you to know that:

"_**Something, something about the chase  
>Six whole years<strong>__  
>I'm a New York woman, born to run you down<br>So have my lipstick all over your face  
><em>_**Something, something about just knowing when it's right**__" _

Mercedes started to clap her hands and everyone in the crowd followed. The crowd was electric and Mercedes was the source of it. "_Everyone put your drinks up!_" She said.

Some people in the crowd put their drinks up but most people put up their cell phones and started to wave them back and forth. Mercedes sang,

_"So put your drinks up for Nebraska  
><em>_**For Nebraska, Nebraska, I love you**__."_

The cell phones were still waving back and forth, but now people in the crowd were actually saying 'Nebraska' along with Mercedes. I couldn't help but laugh a little. The Tennessee Titans fans were unwittingly cheering for me, the Browns' quarterback.

_"You and I  
>You, you and I<br>__**Nebraska, I rather die  
>Without you and I<strong>_

_It's been a long time since I came around_  
><em>Been a long time but I'm back in town<em>

_**This time I'm not leaving without you**__."_

Mercedes finished the song and the crowd cheered. I smiled as a thought went through my mind.

I no longer wanted to win the game for Cleveland. I wanted to win the game for her.

* * *

><p>It felt good running into the endzone off the first drive in the 3rd quarter. The cheers from the Browns sideline were almost as loud as the boos from the crowd. After a receiving few congratulatory smacks on my helmet, I ran toward the sideline as special teams came out. After Matt kicked the ball through the goal posts, I looked up at the scoreboard. The score was 19-28. We were coming back.<p>

The defense kept up their end of the deal and stopped the Titans from scoring on the next drive. Then we got the ball back. After about four minutes into the drive, I threw a 40 yard pass to one of the wide receivers. The wide receiver ran it into the endzone and the crowd went silent. The score was 26-28.

It was the middle of the fourth quarter. The Titans hadn't scored since the first half and we were in position to score another touchdown. I handed the ball off to the running back and he was stopped 2 yards shy of a 1st down. So we had to kick a field goal.

Special teams came onto to the field. We were about to take the lead. Matt hadn't missed all season. The ball was hiked for the punter, who was going to hold the ball so Matt could kick it in between the goal posts. Something bad happened-the worst possible thing that could happen at that moment.

The ball hiked too high and the punter missed it. The ball went past Matt and he ran back to retrieve it in panic. As Matt picked up the ball, he was hit by two Titan linemen. Matt was at the bottom of the pile-up and he lost control of the ball. One the Titan players grabbed the ball and ran 80 yards for a touchdown. The crowd cheered as we heard Matt scream. One of the linemen had fallen on his leg.

Other special teams' members gathered around Matt as the crowd took notice and grew silent.

As Matt was being carted off the field, he waved to crowd and they clapped for him in response. Matt yelled for the team to win it for Cleveland. I put on my helmet. I intended to.

* * *

><p>We were able to go down the field and score a touchdown, but it wasn't enough. The score was Browns 33-Titans 35. There was only one minute and thirty seconds left. The Titans just had to run the time off the clock and they would win. We needed a miracle.<p>

On their third down, the Titans' quarterback passed the ball to their running back. But as the running back was moving, he was hit. He dropped the ball. One of the Brown players grabbed the ball and dropped to the ground after being stopped by another Titan player.

Cheers erupted from the Browns' side. All we needed was a score and we would win.

After three plays, we had made it far enough down the field to make a field goal. But the Titans weren't going down without a fight. They stopped us and it was 4th and 5. Special teams started to walk onto the field, but I called a time out. The team looked at me confused as I ran back to the sideline up to the head coach. I knew that 2nd string kicker couldn't handle the pressure of this situation.

"Why did you use our last timeout, Evans?" Coach asked.

"I want to go for it." I said. "Give me the ball. I can get it in."

"You didn't get it in the first three tries. I'm giving it to the kicker." He said

"Did you see who the kicker is?" I asked.

The coach and I looked back to a newly drafted kid. Clutching the ball and rocking back and forth slightly on the bench, the kicker was clearly scared out his mind.

The coach sighed. "And Matt isn't coming back out. It would be a big gamble to go out there on 4th and 5."

"It would be a huge gamble either way." I said. "He isn't ready and he would always be remembered as the one who missed the kick."

"Are you ready to be remembered as the guy who cost Cleveland the Super Bowl?" The Coach countered.

I sighed, before nodding. "I am. This is how it has to be."

* * *

><p>Gasps from the crowd flooded the stadium as the Brown offense came back onto the field.<p>

We gathered into a huddle.

"We're going to run the second play from practice." I said.

Everyone nodded, before someone said, "Is Coach sure about this?"

I nodded, "He is."

I looked at the heavy linemen who made up our offensive line. "I think that they're going to blitz. I need y'all to _hold that line_."

One lineman looked at me confused, "Do you steal that line from X-Men?"

"Well, yeah-" I shook my head. "It doesn't matter. Hold the line."

I put my hand out and everyone put one hand on top. We yelled, "Break!"

It was the moment of truth.

* * *

><p>The ball was in my hands. I looked around and all the receivers were covered. But I did see an opening, so I ran. I ran with the ball, barely missing several linemen. As I crossed the threshold of the endzone, I felt the heavy mass of three players tackling me.<p>

I blacked out.

* * *

><p>"You've been knocked out quite a few times." Heather said. "Haven't you, Dad?"<p>

"I don't ask for it…"

"What happened next?" Heather said flipping a page in her notebook.

"Well…"

* * *

><p>I woke up to same sight from the last time I was knocked out. I saw Mercedes sitting in a chair.<p>

"Mercedes?"

"Sam!" Mercedes walked over to my bedside. "You have to stop this. I don't like seeing you unconscious in a bed."

"Did we win?" I asked sitting up. I hissed. I looked down to see my leg wrapped in a cast.

"You won, Sam." Mercedes said smiling. "You won the game and broke a record. Since you're only 21, you're the youngest quarterback to ever win the Super Bowl. And-" Mercedes' voice broke from excitement. "The team refused to accept the trophy or hold the ceremony until you could be up there with them. Accepting the MVP title."

"I got MVP?"

Mercedes nodded.

"When was I knocked out?" I asked.

"For about twenty minutes." Mercedes said. "Don't worry. Your family is on their way down from their seats-"

I interrupted her. "I want to go out there and start the ceremony. With my team."

Mercedes nodded. "They're waiting for you." I felt the skin of her palm touch my cheek. "I'm so proud of you."

I leaned into her hand. "I love you."

* * *

><p><strong>The song used was 'You and I' by Lady Gaga. <strong>

**I know. Why wouldn't I just tell you who the mom is already? That chapter is coming up. I wanted to thank you guys for sticking with this story so long. I figured that I owed you guys some mercy, so the mom will be revealed in Chapter 29: [Title Pending].**

**Also…I know it would be impossible for there to be a Browns vs. Titans Superbowl because they're both AFC teams, but I thought it would be fun for Sam to face the team that he always wanted to play for.**

**Anyway, I love hearing your thoughts. Please review.**


	29. Chapter 28: Save Yourself

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review! Please forgive any grammatical errors.

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

Author's Note: Buckle your seats, because we're about to go through two years of Sam's life. This maybe should have been broken up into two chapters. But I wanted to reveal the mom faster so I condensed them. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

><p>"You love her?" Heather asked. She laid her head back against the couch pillow. "I guess there's no happily ever after because she isn't here."<p>

"Good Observation." I replied, crossing my arms and slouching more into the couch. I looked at TV. The TV news had come on and the weatherman said excitedly that this would probably be last warm 70 degree day of 2025.

"What happens to Mercedes? Why aren't you two still together?"

I turned the TV off. "Well, the next part is in May. At this point, Mercedes and I are both 22…"

* * *

><p>It was May. Mercedes and I had been together for about two months. We started dating again soon after the Superbowl and everything was back to the way it used to be. We picked up right where we left off and it was great.<p>

Sitting on the couch in my apartment, I flipped through the stations trying to find the marathon of the Avatar: The Last Airbender. Mercedes had told me that she had never seen the show and I wanted to use the marathon as a crash course. I found the channel after a few attempts. There was a commercial on advertising for the 2016 Rio Olympics games that were starting in a few months.

Mercedes was still in the kitchen when the bright colors of the familiar animation filled the screen.

"It's on!" I yelled, turning my head back slightly to see Mercedes standing in front of an open refrigerator, drumming her fingers on the door. I could see her scanning the inside, looking for snacks.

"I'm coming!" Mercedes said back without breaking eye contact with the refrigerator.

"You'll miss the opening!" I said. "It explains the entire premise of the show."

I leaned forward and grabbed the remote to turn up the volume of the television. Getting more comfortable for the marathon, I put one leg up on the coffee table and threw an arm behind the couch before leaning back into the couch.

The episode title flashed on the TV screen when I heard the refrigerator close. Subsequently, there was a sound of footsteps approaching the couch.

"You need to go food shopping." Mercedes said, finding her place underneath my arm. She passed me a yogurt and a spoon. "The only things in that refrigerator are eggs and beer."

I shrugged. "It's a simple diet."

"No. It's an _'I'm too lazy to go the market'_ diet." Mercedes opened her yogurt top and mixed the contents of the container with her spoon. "Now, what is the point of this cartoon?"

I leaned away from her and narrowed my eyes. A cartoon? Obviously, she didn't understand the awesomeness of this show. "Alright, baby doll. Rule #1, we do not refer to this as a cartoon. I like to call it an animation of an epic coming-of-age story."

Mercedes stopped swirling her spoon and narrowed her eyes back at me. "Are you really going to hype up this cartoon?"

I threw my arms up in a dramatic fashion that caused Mercedes to laugh. "You broke Rule #1 in twelve seconds! Not cool."

Mercedes shrugged. "I doubt this Avatar show is as good as Hey Arnold."

I burrowed my eyebrows and tilted my head in confusion. "What's Hey Arnold?"

Mercedes almost choked on the spoon that she had just put in her mouth. She pulled the spoon out and looked at me. "Oh my God, Sam. You never watched Hey Arnold? Did you have a childhood?"

"Yes. I had a great childhood. I had my guitar, comics, and Nickelodeon shows like Avatar."

"But Avatar: The Last Airbender didn't come out until we were in high school."

I eyed her suspiciously before leaning in closer and whispering, "Um…Ms. Jones, I thought you said that you had never seen show?"

"Ah…well…" Mercedes proceeded to swirl her yogurt even faster than before. She avoided eye contact and looked everywhere else possible but at my face. "Okay, maybe I did see this show before…once…twice…maybe I've seen the entire series."

I felt my mouth fall open. "Why did you-"

"I wanted to hang out with you." Mercedes said quickly. She shrugged. "When you asked if I had ever seen The Last Airbender, I thought you were talking about the movie. Which I haven't seen. When I figured out that you were talking about the series, I was going to tell you but…you had already planned out a whole day. It sounded like fun so I just didn't tell you."

I kissed her cheek. "For the record, you don't need a reason to hang out with me."

Mercedes looked down at her yogurt and smiled. "Noted."

I kissed her cheek again, but this time I got a giggle in response.

"Sam, stop."

"Why?" I kissed her again, but trying to move the pecks closer to her lips.

"Because the show is on."

I shrugged before moving closer and continuing my efforts. "What's the point? We've _both _seen the show."

Mercedes looked at me and smirked. Conceding to my point, she kissed. I felt her hand on my leg. As Mercedes moved closer, so did the pressure she exerted on my leg. It caused me to flinch in pain.

"What's wrong?" Mercedes asked immediately. "Are you okay?"

"My leg." I said, clutching it. "I felt that sharp pain again."

Mercedes nodded, "When are you going to the doctor's? It isn't normal to have recurring pain for months."

I nodded in agreement. The pain had been recurring ever since the Super Bowl, especially after they removed the cast.

"I'm going to see him tomorrow."

* * *

><p>The sound from the minute hand on the clock as it clicked past four filled the unusually quiet room. This would have been insignificant to anyone else but me.<p>

I had been waiting for the doctor to come back with my test results when the minute hand was on the ten. It had been thirty minutes since the doctor said _'I'll be back in a moment.' _Worry steadily increased with every passing minute. He was taking too long to go over my results. It was a bad sign.

The hand hit the five when there was a click of the door handle.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Evans." The doctor said, closing the door. He walked around to sit at his desk chair that was across from me.

"No problem." I looked at the brown file back that he had placed on his desk. Evans was on the tab.

"How long has this pain in your leg been coming as you say-?"

"In and out." I repeated what I had said almost 40 minutes ago. "Since the Super Bowl, there has been a sharp pain in my leg. It'll come for several minutes but then I won't feel it again for weeks."

He opened the file. "Interesting."

The word left the doctors mouth and left a bad taste of mine. _Interesting._

I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. "Listen doc; is this something that I can take medication for? Football practice is starting in a few weeks-"

"Oh no, Mr. Evans." He said, looking over his square glasses. "There will be no more football."

My heart dropped. "What-what do you mean?" I stammered, dumbfounded.

The doctor sighed and went through my file. Going through several x-rays, he settled on the third one. Then putting his glasses closer to his eyes, he examined the back and front of the x-ray. The doctor stood and walked over to a wall light. He slid the x-ray in, overtop of the light.

Turning the light on, my insides glowed for both of us to see.

"Do you see this?" The doctor said pointing to the x-ray.

"No not really. What is it?"

The doctor explained that a part of the inside of my leg had torn. "Thankfully with some physical therapy, the pain should subside. But you cannot play football with this. You could become seriously injured if you continue to play with this impairment."

I sat there speechless. Air lodged in my throat and words were lost in my mind. Everything I had worked for was gone. How could this happen? My dream of playing football was quickly becoming a memory and there was nothing that I could do to keep it in the present.

"Mr. Evans." The doctor sat back down.

I exhaled. "Is there anything that can be done? I mean- is there a procedure? Surgery?"

The doctor shook his head. "There isn't. I wouldn't advise you to play football and you would be hard-pressed to find a doctor who would. Mr. Evans, I believe this injury was sustained during the last tackle in the Super Bowl. It's surprising that the team doctor didn't see it."

I sunk back in my chair. "All I know is football."

He closed my file. "Well Mr. Evans… this would be a good time to take up golf. It truly is a relaxing sport. And the –"

His words soon became background noise to the thoughts in my head. If I didn't play football, what would I do? I wanted to play football. It was all I had ever wanted since I was a kid. Now, the dream was dead. Now what?

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry, Sam."<p>

Mercedes told me in my apartment as we sat across from each other, the kitchen table between us.

"This isn't right." I said, frustrated. "Why does everything go wrong every time my life is good?"

Fingers ran over my hand and I looked up to see Mercedes smiling at me. "Your life is still good."

"I can't play football."

She shrugged. "So. Now you can do anything you want."

I frowned and retracted my hands. "All I ever wanted was to play football."

Mercedes sighed. "I was just trying to help."

"Yeah, I know." I stood up and walked towards the refrigerator. After opening it, I sighed. I had forgotten to go food shopping again.

"Sam."

"Yeah." Turning slightly, I saw Mercedes playing with her fingers.

"I'm going on tour later this year. And I have to work on a few songs for my new album. I have to go to New York in about four months."

I nodded. I knew she would have to go sooner or later. "On tour? For how long?"

"About seven months."

I laughed bitterly. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

"Sam, you know that I have to go."

I nodded. I knew. "Go, go. At least one of us should live out our dreams."

I turned my attention back to the empty refrigerator that now just had beer. I had eaten the eggs this morning.

I smiled when I felt arms wrap around my stomach and a face pressed into my back." Come with me, Sam."

It was muffled but I heard it.

"On tour?" I asked.

I felt her head shift. Her voice was clearer. "Come on tour with me. It would be a lot more fun if you were there."

"Sure." I said quickly." I'd love to come and watch you on stage night after night."

It was something to look forward to. Mercedes and I on the road together."

"You could be my groupie." Mercedes said and I laughed.

"I better be your only groupie."

I felt her nod against my back. "Plus, it'll take your mind off of football."

Instantly, the excitement of our trip vanished with the mere mention of sport.

"Hopefully." I said, less enthusiastically.

Mercedes let go of me. I reached in the refrigerator and grabbed a beer.

I closed the refrigerator door and looked over to see Mercedes frowning.

"A beer? It's only 11 am."

I shrugged." It's happy hour somewhere."

The next five seconds encompassed one of the worst mistakes that I had ever made in my life.

I opened the beer and started to drink it. The first of many.

* * *

><p>"This place is a mess."<p>

Mercedes had used her key to enter my apartment. I looked at her through sleepy eyes. How long had I been asleep?

"Sam, did you forget about our date?"

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Mercedes was wearing an ankle length trench coat and a scowl. She wasn't happy.

I rubbed my forehead with the back of my thumb. "I'm sorry. I fell asleep–"

"Are you drunk?" Mercedes asked, putting her hand up and pointing to the three empty beer bottles on the side table.

"Maybe slightly."

Mercedes released a disappointed sigh that made me feel worse. "I was really hoping that this was just a phase."

Mercedes walked back into my hall. When I heard a creak from a door opening, I figured that she was in my bedroom. Only my bedroom door creaked. A few moments later, Mercedes returned with clothes that she threw at me.

"What was that for?" I asked.

Mercedes crossed her arms. "There were more empty beer bottles in the back. What's going on with you?

"Nothing. Just-" I leaned forward and covered my face with my hands. "Can we just stay here for the night? Hang out?"

Her voice was firm. "No, dinner was the plan."

Mercedes grabbed the keys from my side table. "I guess I'll be driving."

"I guess so."

Mercedes walked toward the door and opened it. She looked back. "Sam, I'm really disappointed in you. Get dressed."

Mercedes closed the door and I looked forward to the black screen of the TV. I didn't like who was staring back. I saw who had started using alcohol to feel better. A guy who had been drinking for the last four months.

I was disappointed in myself.

* * *

><p>"Mercedes, listen to me."<p>

The car ride to the restaurant had been silent. Mercedes was angry about me drinking and I didn't blame her. Any questions I asked during the car ride, usually ended in curt one word answers from her.

As soon as Mercedes had parked, she took the keys out of the ignition and exited the car in seemingly one swift motion. Leaving me to quickly follow her, trying to explain to her why I had drank again. When I had promised to stop.

"Not now, Sam." Mercedes walked several steps ahead of me. The wind was blowing. It pushed against our strides. It slowed me a little, but Mercedes powered through. Not even the elements would stop her to talk to me.

I jogged forward, finally within reach of her. Grabbing her arm, I turned her around to face me.

"Let me go." The words came out like a warning. Her eyes were closed. Lips were straight. Her teeth gritted.

"No." I said, moving my hands to firmly grab her shoulders. "Mercedes, I'm going through something. I don't know how to explain."

"Try." Mercedes opened her eyes. She was still angry but concern seeped through as her face relaxed. Her lips relaxed into a slight frown and she reached for my hands. She laced our fingers; our palms touched. "Sam, you're scaring me. You have been drinking a lot."

I bit the inside of my cheek as I thought of how to explain my feelings. I didn't know what was going on with me. I just knew that alcohol made it better. "Lost. I guess that's the best word. I feel lost. What's my plan? I'm 22 and I don't know what I'm going to do with my life. Football is gone and…sometimes I think-what's the point of getting out of bed? I'm starting to feel worthless-"

Arms encircled my stomach and Mercedes pulled me into a hug. The warm from the embrace overtook me and made me forgot that it was a cool September day. These were the only times that I felt good anymore. The times when I was with Mercedes.

"The last thing you are is worthless." Mercedes ran her hand up and down my back. "Do you know what you've accomplished? You won the Superbowl and that is something no one will ever be able to take away from you. You took care of your family. You have amazing friends that care about you. I love you. And you know, I don't love just anybody."

I laughed. I laid my head on the top of hers. The breeze became stronger, helping the smell of her perfume fill my nose. I smiled.

"We're going to figure this out, okay?" Mercedes said. She pulling away slightly and making eye contact. Her dark brown eyes promised my green ones. "But you have to stop drinking. I don't want your problem to get any worse."

I pulled away. Cold air replaced the warmth that had just been on my chest. "My problem?"

Mercedes put her hands in her coat pockets, before nodding. "Your drinking problem."

"Don't call it a problem." I said. "I drink every once in a while. I'm not a drunk."

"I didn't call you a drunk, but your drinking is more than every once in a while. It's everyday."

"Every day? I don't-"

"You're in denial." Her voice was calm.

My own voice was angry. "A drinking problem? Is that what you really think of me?"

The wind calmed down and was replaced by silence. I stared at Mercedes and she looked back. Mercedes frowned before looking down. I got my answer.

"Whatever." I said walking past her, toward the restaurant.

"Sam, wait-" Mercedes said following me.

It was a total reversal of five minutes prior. This time, I was angry and Mercedes wanted to talk. But the underlying problem was still the same. I just wouldn't admit the problem to myself at the time and it angered me that someone else had. The words hurt the worst coming from Mercedes.

I opened the door to the restaurant and nearly jumped out of my skin, as everyone yelled _'Surprise!'_

"What?" I said quickly, shocked. "Why?"

"Because you're Awesome!" Brittany said dressed in a Wonder Woman costume, while standing with a group of familiar people in the restaurant opening. "But you're not amazing like Spiderman."

I stood there confused. Not only by Brittany's comments, but my family and all of my friends stood around in superhero costumes. Above their heads, was a banner that said _'Sam is Awesome.' _

"I don't understand." I said.

Mercedes walked through the door -_with__ a white wig on_. Adjusting her wig, Mercedes said, "This is a Superhero Party for you."

I jerked my head back. "For me?"

"I know that you've been upset lately about not being able to play football." Mercedes said. "So, we all came up with this idea to cheer you up."

I smiled at her while pointing to the banner. "Sam is Awesome?"

"That was my idea." The unmistakable voice came from the crowd. It was Stevie.

I turned around to see a sixteen year old Stevie walking toward me. He was wearing a complete purple spandex outfit with a golden Z on his chest. Stevie shook his head, "Just so you know, I would only wear this ridiculous outfit to cheer you up."

I chuckled and scratched my head. "Who are you supposed to be?"

Stevie sighed and fully extended his arm to his right. His hand formed a fist. Then Stacy came to the front in a matching outfit and excitedly bumped her fist with his.

Stacy bellowed, "WONDER TWIN POWERS ACTIVATE!"

"No." I said in disbelief. "Does anyone have a camera?"

Stevie's eyes widened. "This better not end up on Facebook. I swear I will fight someone."

I smiled. This was going to be fun.

* * *

><p>After talking with my dad and mom, who came as Superman and Lois Lane, I walked over to the other side of the room. Walking through the crowd of colorful superhero costumes, I realized how lucky I was to have such amazing people in my life. I wished I could bottle the feelings I had at that moment, so I could feel this happy tomorrow.<p>

I saw Mike and Tina standing off against the wall. Mike was wearing a brown trench coat. He was also carrying a silver staff in one hand and playing cards in the other. Tina had a red wig with a stripe of white in it. I think I had an idea of who they were. But I still asked,

"Who are you guys supposed to be?"

In her best Southern accent, Tina responded, "I'm a southern belle by the name of Rogue. Don't you recognize me?"

Mike responded, "Gambit."

Tina elbowed him. "You're supposed to talk in your accent."

Mike coughed and attempted to speak in a Southern accent. It wasn't so good. "My name is Gambit and I come from New Orleans."

Tina shook her head, "Eh…it could be better."

"What's going on party people?" Matt asked, walking over with a black shirt and a mask that had small pointy ears.

"Black Panther?" I asked.

Matt smiled. "Two cool points for that one. You're the only one that got it right. Everyone thinks I'm Batman."

"How's it going, Matt?" Mike asked.

"Nothing much. Got traded to the Miami Dolphins."

"Seriously?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Yeah. Nothing I could do about."

"Sam!"

I turned around to see Mercedes carrying a shopping bag. She still had on her coat.

Mercedes opened the bag and pulled out two costumes. "Sam, you're the only civilian in this place. Pick one."

I grabbed both the costumes, but the white wig on Mercedes' head caught my eye. "Who are you?"

Mercedes frowned. "Please don't make me."

Tina spoke up, "Mercedes, you promised that you would wear a costume, too."

Mercedes sighed and removed the trench coat to reveal a white jumpsuit. "I'm Storm."

I smirked. "Hot."

Mercedes smiled. "So, we're clear...I'm only wearing this costume for you. I wouldn't be caught dead in this otherwise."

"Thank-you for this party." I said. "You are the best girlfriend ever."

"I would have to disagree." Mike said wrapping an arm around Tina.

Tina put up a gloved hand and wiggles her fingers. "Be careful. My power is to absorb the powers, memories, and strength of anyone I touch. I could put you in a coma."

Mike squeezed tighter. "It would be worth it."

Matt interjected, "Did you know that in the more modern Marvel comics that the Black Panther and Storm get married?"

Mercedes' eyebrows rose. "Really?"

I clenched the costumes and laughed lowly. "Oh, Matt. They wouldn't find your body."

Matt took a few steps back and raised his arms in mock defense. "Sam, it was a fact. Didn't mean anything by it."

"Just so we're clear." I looked down at the costumes in my hands. There was a Captain America costume in one hand and Thor costume in the other.

"I knew that you liked both of them." Mercedes said.

I smiled. "You pick."

Mercedes bit her thumb as her eyes danced from costume to costume. "Captain."

I shrugged. "Captain America, it is."

* * *

><p>After changing in the bathroom stall, I walked back out into the restaurant back to where Matt, Tina, Mike and Mercedes had been. Now Rachel, Puck, Lauren and Artie had joined them.<p>

"More costumes to guess?"

"Are you really wearing the mask, Sam?" Artie asked.

I blushed, flipping the mask off my head. "I thought it was cool."

Rachel smiled. "I forgot how much of a dork you are." Rachel sat down in a chair wearing a glittery pink ball gown. I had no idea who she was.

"You?"

Rachel stood up and coughed loudly. Ever the diva, she needed an audience. Then Rachel picked up a wand and waved it in a circular motion. "Well, my good sir. I am Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, from the Broadway Musical, _Wicked_.

My face twisted in confusion. "Is Glinda really a superhero?"

"That's what I said." Lauren added in a blue shirt and jeans. There was a huge 4 emblem on her shirt.

Rachel put her hands on her hips. "Glinda is a character in a hit Broadway play that stayed on Broadway for months, broke records, won Tony awards, and then went on a nation tour. So, yes. She is a hero to me."

Puck shook his head. "You and Artie cheated. Your characters don't count."

"Who are you?" I asked Puck. He was wearing regular clothes.

"I'm the baddest superhero ever created." Puck paused as if that was enough explanation. When no one responded, Puck sighed. "I'm Wolverine."

I shrugged. "I don't see it."

"I told you to get more dressed up." Lauren said. "I'm Invisible Woman and I really wish I was invisible. I'm pregnant again."

There were three squeals immediately from Rachel, Mercedes, and Tina.

"Yes! I get to plan another baby shower!" Tina said ecstatically, clapping her hands.

Lauren groaned. "No! We already have four and don't sleep. I can't handle this."

Puck closed his eyes. "The moody boy and the triplets from hell."

Lauren pointed to her stomach. "This better be just one."

Everyone stood around, uncomfortable. We didn't know if they were serious or not. Mercedes rubbed her arm. "So…you guys aren't happy about this?"

Puck and Lauren looked at each other before saying, "Eh…"

Artie waved his arm in the air to get everyone's attention. "Okay, changing the topic…no one except Puck guessed who I was."

Everyone turned to Artie and looked at the suit he was wearing. Then in unison, we all guessed Professor X.

Artie frowned. "No! Get your minds off the wheelchair. I'm Doctor Who."

I shook my head. "Puck is right. That doesn't really count."

"I don't know about that. I think Doctor Who could be a hero."

Most of us turned around to see who had said that. It was Finn. He was helping a very pregnant Quinn walk over to our group.

_Hold up!_

* * *

><p>I turned to Heather, whose eyes had bulged out of her head. "Don't do that. Don't talk nonchalantly about Quinn being pregnant. When did that happen?"<p>

I nodded my head, impressed. "Nonchalantly? High five for a big word!"

I put my hand up for the high five but Heather did not reciprocate. She sat still. Her eyes were still bulging.

"Dad, Quinn is pregnant?"

I dropped my hand and nodded. Then the barrage of questions began.

"When? How far along is she? Did I miss something?" Heather flipped rigorously through her notebook.

I grabbed her hand. "I was about to get to that…"

* * *

><p>"Q!" Mercedes said high pitched, while helping Quinn into a seat. "How far along are you? You're about to blow."<p>

Quinn smiled, placing her hands on her stomach. "Eight months. I'm due in October."

"Enjoy it." Lauren said. "The third time around is hell."

Quinn's jaw dropped. "You're pregnant too?"

Lauren nodded. "Due in May. I can't believe that I have eight more months of this."

"You'll be fine." Tina said.

I interjected and looked at both Finn and Quinn. "What is it?"

Finn smiled and put his hand on Quinn's huge bump. "The doctor says it's a boy. I'm going to have a son."

Quinn shot Finn a loving smile. "We're thinking of naming him, Hayden."

"That's a beautiful name." Rachel said, sincerely. "Congratulations to you both."

Finn smiled and nodded.

Quinn smiled at Rachel. "Thank-you."

Puck interjected. "Finn, please do not name my nephew Hayden. He needs a strong, manly man like Joseph, Michael, or Kevin. A name that tells the other kids on the playground not to mess with him."

Quinn adjusted her red wig. "We're sticking with Hayden. Period."

Finn looked over his aviator sunglasses. "Where's the music at?"

"I got it." Puck said, walking over to the music station.

"Jean Grey and Cyclops?" Artie asked Quinn and Finn.

Quinn nodded. "Oh, Sam. Blaine and Kurt said that they're on their way. Spoiler alert. They're Batman and Robin."

* * *

><p>"That was fun." I said, pressing the button that released my seat belt.<p>

Mercedes nodded as she finished parking the car in the parking lot of my apartment complex. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

Mercedes released her seatbelt too. The she took my keys out the truck's ignition and handed them to me. She reached for her door handle. "Good night, Sam."

I grabbed her hand and ran my thumb over her knuckles. "You don't to go home."

Mercedes sighed. "I don't think spending the night with you is a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Sam, we still need to talk about before…I think you need to get some help."

I exhaled a low shush. "Later. Today was a good day. Can we just talk about it later?"

Mercedes stared forward. "You mean sweep your problems under a rug like they don't exist."

"For one night."

Mercedes looked at me out the corner of her eye. "I don't know."

I grinned. "Come on."

Mercedes tilted her head to look at me and then shook her head. "No. Don't look at me like that."

I smiled wider and leaned toward her. "Like what?"

Mercedes put a hand to my chest to stop me. "Fine. But we're just sleeping."

Then she sighed and mumbled, "Why does that smile always work on me?"

I kissed her hand. "Because you love it."

* * *

><p>It was 3am and I still couldn't go to sleep. My sleep patterns had changed and sometime over the last two months, I had developed insomnia. I had slept all afternoon yesterday due to exhaustion.<p>

I sat up and laid my head against the headboard. I looked over to see Mercedes sleeping peacefully next to me. I grew slightly envious as Mercedes' back heaved rhythmically up and down, wishing I could sleep.

I smiled back thinking about the few hours prior. When Mercedes said that we would just sleep, I honestly was going to comply. But after we kissed, one thing led to another and…

* * *

><p>I paused and sighed.<p>

Heather shook her head, "Birds and the Bees again, Dad?"

"Yes…we slept together. " I said slightly cringing on the inside. I couldn't believe that I had just admitted that to my daughter. "Maybe I should waited to tell this story when you were older."

"Dad, I'm 9." Heather retorted. "I'm practically an adult."

I laughed, because she was serious. "I'm going to just move on with the story…"

* * *

><p>Plopping down on the couch in the living room, I turned the TV on. I thought maybe watching TV would help me sleep.<p>

Flipping through the stations, there was nothing on TV to watch. It was 3:30 am and only thing on was infomercials.

I settled on ESPN and watched a rerun from earlier that day. For about 20 minutes, I listened to commentary about the status of different teams. My eyes began to grow heavy and sleep was finally within my grasp. Until I heard the three commentators say my name.

_Commentator one said, "Alright. Next question. Okay, what do we think about Sam Evans being put into the hall of fame? Will it happen? Or will that dark cloud of steroid rumors prevent him."_

_Commentator three said, "This is a tough one."_

_Commentator two said, 'There is speculation around him. No matter how good some people think he was or is, they will never put him in the Hall of Fame. Sam Evans used steroids!'_

'_Allegedly', Commentator one added._

_Commentator two said "Doesn't matter. No one really knows so he will never get that honor. Most people, including myself, think he did use them. Most people will never hold him to the same praises of other legendary quarterbacks."_

_Commentator three added, "But whenever he was tested, he was clean. And he always had denied using."_

_Commentator two shook his head, "He will never be in the hall of fame because Sam Evans is not good enough for it. Plus, the opinion of everyone outside Cleveland is that he is a mediocre player that got by on his looks and drugs." The commentator stared into the camera, "Sam Evans will never be in the hall of fame-"_

I turned the TV off. I had heard enough.

Anger rose in me. I threw the remote. It hit the wall and black plastic pieces fall onto the carpet.

My breathing grew deep and fists clenched. I kicked the coffee table over and the anger still wasn't alleviated at all.

I was angry about my lack of life direction, people determined to ruin my reputation, Santana, and the world.

The feelings that I had tried to bottle in were coming to the surface. In order to feel better and help bottle the feelings again, I needed to get my hands on a more tangible bottle. There was a case of beer in my kitchen.

I had the urge to drink. Mercedes wouldn't be happy if I did…but I needed it. I resisted the urge because of her. But the longer I sat there, the stronger the urge became. It became too much.

I rationalized that one beer wouldn't hurt.

So I drink one beer. But that one led to another and another.

Before I knew it, it was 7:30 am. I was drunk and Mercedes was livid.

She stormed out.

* * *

><p>Two weeks later, Mercedes hadn't returned my calls. Sitting on my bed, I looked at my cell phone. No missed calls. No returned calls.<p>

I tossed the phone on the side of my bed that Mercedes had been in just weeks prior.

The door bell rang. I got up and walked into the living room. Hopefully, it was Mercedes with an explanation for why she had disappeared.

Opening the door, I didn't see Mercedes. Instead, it was the Wonder Twins with bags in their hands.

Stacy half-smiled, lifting the bags in her right hand. "We come bearing groceries. Mercedes said you probably didn't have any."

"Come in, guys." I said.

Stacy and Stevie walked past me and I closed the door. "You guys talked to Mercedes?"

"Yeah, man." Stevie said, putting the groceries away. "Sam, are you okay?"

"You've been in a funk, lately." Stacy added.

I ran a hand through my hair. I really didn't want to discuss this with my younger siblings. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

I flopped down on the couch and soon their two persistent teenagers sitting next to me. Stacy was on my left. Stevie was on my right.

"Sam, have you been drinking?" Stacy asked, in a quiet voice like it was a shameful, secret. Well, it was shameful, but not a secret to my family anymore.

"Mom is worried." Stevie said, sitting up straighter. His voice was louder, more authoritative. "So stop it now. Snap out of it."

I looked blankly at Stevie. "I'm the big brother here and I'm trying to stop." I sighed. "I'm trying for you, Stacy, mom, dad, and Mercedes."

"Sam."

I turned to see Stacy looking at me. Her eyes were pensive. "What about you? You can't do it for us. You have to do it for yourself. You have to save yourself."

Do it for myself? I thought. How could I do it for myself when I didn't have much self-worth these days…

* * *

><p>It was October when Mercedes walked through my door again. She stood a few feet off to the side of the couch with her arms crossed.<p>

I looked up from the couch. "Well…she is actually alive. It's been a month."

"I went to New York." Mercedes said. "I told you months ago that I had to go to New York to work on songs for my next album."

"A phone call would have been nice."

"I was angry with you."

I stood up. "So you just leave? But I guess that's the story of our relationship. Mercedes is always leaving."

Mercedes scoffed, "I thought it Sam was always pushing Mercedes away."

"Whatever. I told you to leave because I wanted what was best for you."

Mercedes sighed. She walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. I walked over and sat across from her.

Mercedes started, "Sam, I couldn't stand the sight of you destroying yourself." Mercedes inhaled deeply and her nose twitched. She looked into my eyes. "Are you drunk now?"

I averted her gaze. "It was just two."

Mercedes shook her head. "I don't believe you. How many?"

I remembered it being at least four since that afternoon, but I was too ashamed to admit it. "I don't want to answer that."

"Baby, you have a problem. You have to admit it to yourself."

"I don't have a problem." My anger was slowly rising. My ears twitched and I felt my face getting hot. "Don't say that."

Mercedes waved her hands with her palms facing me. "Forget it."

She dropped her hands. "Sam, I can't watch you destroy yourself. I don't understand this self-destructive behavior. So, you can't play football. It isn't the end of the world."

My eyes widened at the audacity of her words. "Not the end of the world? I thought of all people that you would understand. Football was my dream. My passion." I paused. "Mercedes, what if you woke up one morning and you couldn't sing. How would you feel?"

Mercedes looked to the side and frowned. The analogy seemed to have sunk in. "That would be a nightmare."

"I'm living my nightmare."

"But Sam." Mercedes reached across the table and grabbed my hands. "Football is so unpredictable. You knew it would have to end some day."

I pulled my hands away. "Not in my prime. I was being compared to legendary quarterbacks. I could have been great. I was just getting started. Now, I will never be able to be everything that I could have been. And everyone thinks that I use drugs. They think that I didn't deserve the MVP award or to even go to the Super Bowl."

"You need to talk to someone about your feelings."

"I'm talking to you."

"I can't help you with this."

I yelled, "You are so selfish!"

I had never yelled at Mercedes. That should have been another sign that something was wrong with me, but at the time, I didn't see it.

"Are you out of mind?" Mercedes asked. "Don't yell at me."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Several minutes passed and we didn't say anything.

Then, abruptly, Mercedes stood up and walked into the kitchen. Mercedes came back with a beer and slammed it in the middle of the table.

"Choose."

"What?"

Mercedes stared at me. "This is an ultimatum. You have to choose now. The bottle or me. And I swear Sam, if you pick the bottle, I walking out the door and I am never coming back."

I leaned back, stunned. "Are you serious? You're supposed to help me. You're supposed to stick through hard times. For better or worse."

"We're not married."

"Maybe it was a good thing that we didn't get married."

I immediately regretted the words when I saw the look of hurt of Mercedes' face. I reached out for her hands. "'Cedes, I'm sorry-"

Mercedes ripped her hands away from mine. "Don't touch me! You've been so evil and depressed all the time. If you won't stop drinking for me, please stop for yourself. You have a problem."

"Stop saying that!"

Mercedes slammed the beer again. "Choose me or your problem!"

"Maybe you're my problem."

Mercedes let go of the beer and stepped back, shocked. "What did you say to me?"

"Sam-" Her voice took on a more warning tone. "You need to stop right now or you're going to lose me. You're going to lose a future with me. No house. No dog. No kids! We're going to lose our dream because I wouldn't-"

"I don't want it!" I yelled. Anger and a drunken haze overtook my sanity and affection for Mercedes. "It's such an emotional rollercoaster with you. You can keep the dream. I don't want to marry you. Or have a house or dog. I definitely don't want kids with you. And I don't want to see you again."

I could see a clear sheen in her eyes and I felt this weird mix of anger and guilt. I wanted to comfort her but my pride wouldn't let me.

"Emotional Rollercoaster?" Mercedes took a deep, jagged breath and I thought she was going to cry. But it wasn't tears that came from Mercedes' face.

Mercedes ran to the kitchen and grabbed the trash can. She ripped off the lid and vomited.

I had officially reached a new low. My urge to comfort her finally beat out my pride.

Walking over to her, I saw Mercedes rub her mouth with the back of her sleeve.

I touched the back of her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Mercedes turned around and slapped me. "No. I never want to see you again. You make me sick."

Mercedes grabbed her purse from the chair and stormed out of my apartment. She left me with a burning face and broken heart.

I sat back down and tried to figure out what had happened. I was alone in my apartment with a beer that taunted me. A beer that I would never touch.

I leaned back and said the words that I should have said when she first walked in.

"Mercedes, I have a problem."

* * *

><p>"When was the last time you bathed?"<p>

Mike asked, standing in front of my TV.

I shrugged as I lay across the couch. "How did you get into my apartment?"

"Mercedes gave me her key." Mike said. "What did you say to her? She seemed really upset."

"Is she gone?"

Mike frowned and nodded. "Yeah, she decided to move back to California after her meetings in New York."

It had been three weeks since Mercedes stormed out. My drinking had gotten worse, because I had tried to stop before for Mercedes. I had drunk before but I had been apprehensive. Now that she was gone, so was my apprehension.

I reached into the case of beer next to me. "Well, I guess I screwed up."

Mike continued to frown, "Stop drinking."

"Why?" I asked. "I lost football and Mercedes. What else is there?"

"Your family and friends. Yourself." Mike said. "When are you going to stop?"

"Until I drink $25 million dollars worth."

Mike walked around the coffee table and grabbed the case of beer. "Stop."

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Saving you." Mike said. "You're moving in with Tina and me. We don't trust you to live by yourself. I refuse to walk over here one day and find you passed out…or overdosed."

Mike walked in the kitchen and threw the case in the trash. He walked back to living room and stared at me.

His tone was somber. "Sam…Tina thinks you may have depression. And you're using alcohol as a way to medicate your problems."

I rolled my eyes. "Tina has been a nurse for all of a day and she thinks that she can diagnose me."

"Watch it. That's my girlfriend." Mike warned. "But I think she's right. You said that you can't sleep, you've been having feelings of worthlessness, and drinking…Mercedes said that you yelled at her. That doesn't sound like you."

I sat up and I saw that stupid beer bottle. It was still in the center of my kitchen table. I hadn't touched it.

"What should I do?" I asked.

"Move in with Tina and me. Tina is a nurse and I can offer moral support." Mike said. "Then you're going to meet with a psychiatrist."

I sighed. "Fine. But I have to do one thing before I leave."

"What?"

I stood up and walked into my kitchen. I stared at the lone beer bottle that had become some stupid, sick symbol of my drinking problem. It had cost me Mercedes, but I wouldn't lose myself to it.

I picked the bottle up with a tight grip.

"Sam, what are you doing?"

I swung my arm back and threw the beer hard against the wall. The glass smashed. Brown specks of glass along with alcoholic liquid covered the floor. That felt good.

"What the hell, Sam?"

I shrugged. "I'm ready to go."

* * *

><p>It was January and I had been diagnosed with depression. I had stopped drinking, but without the drinking, my depression was an all time high. Puck had picked me up from my appointment and we were driving back to Mike and Tina's place.<p>

"How did it go?" Puck asked.

"Alright. The doctor just kept staring and asking questions." I shrugged. "I don't know what to make of it."

Puck sighed. "Maybe some music will help."

Puck reached radio dial and turned up the volume.

Prince's 'Purple Rain' was playing. After a few more songs, the DJ cut the music off.

"_Okay, y'all. We got a new song that just dropped today. A song by Mercedes Jones. It's called Emotional Rollercoaster. I don't know who she is singing about, but this guy sure did a number on her. But I 'm just glad that she dropped a new song. There was a lot of disappointment among fans when she cancelled her tour. We were owed a new song."_

"Wow." Puck said in disbelief.

I banged my head against the head rest. "I can't believe she wrote a song."

Song lyrics filled the car.

_Last night I cried, tossed and turned  
>Woke up with dry eyes<br>My mind was racing, feet were pacing  
><em>_**Lord, help me please, tell me what I have gotten into  
><strong>__  
>I'm on an emotional rollercoaster<br>__**Lovin' you ain't nothin' healthy  
>Lovin' you was never good for me<strong>__  
>But I can't get off<em>

I turned the radio off. I couldn't take it.

"What the hell happened with you and Mercedes?" Puck asked.

"Nothing." I said gruffly. My life had gone to shit and it didn't seem like it was going to get better. I let out a jagged sigh.

"Oh hell no."

Puck pulled the car over abruptly and I grabbed the dashboard to stabilize myself.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Are you crying?"

"No." I asked indignantly, honestly.

"Get out my car."

"What?"

"You heard me."

I opened the door and slapped it behind me. After my feet touched the shoulder of the road, I started walking forward. I didn't even take ten steps before my face hit the ground. Spitting dirt out, I looked up to Puck standing over me.

I jumped to my feet. "Are you crazy?"

Puck shoved me again. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Don't test me, Puck."

"The first push was for Mercedes. For whatever you said." Puck shoved me again. "Now, I'm your life, Sam. I'm pushing you. What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't need cheap psychology from you. It's not that simple."

"Yes it is. You are more than football. You're stronger than this." Puck shoved me again and I was growing tired of it. "Fight back."

"Stop."

"No." Puck shoved. "Fight for your stupid, meaningless life."

"My life isn't meaningless."

"Now, we're getting somewhere. But you have to take control of your life, Sam." Puck said. "You've got a choice. You can beat this depression or you can keep it. You can fight or you can live and die this way."

The severity of his words hit me. The idea of feeling this way for the rest of my life was unimaginable. It couldn't happen. It wouldn't happen.

I fought back.

I shoved Puck with enough force to knock him down.

"Ow." Puck said getting up. He rubbed his side. "That one was a freebie. If you ever push me down like that again, I will kick your ass."

"Thank-you, Puck."

"That's what friends are for."

* * *

><p>It was April and I was taking it one day at a time. I had slipped up and had a beer a few weeks ago. But I had been good since then and was going to therapy regularly. Mike and Tina had to leave the city to take care of a sick relative. It was good timing, because I planned on moving out. I could take care of myself. I brought a house in Cleveland.<p>

* * *

><p>It was about mid-May when I got a frantic call from Puck.<p>

"Sam! This is not a drill! I repeat this is not a drill! Lauren is going into labor and my car wouldn't start."

Puck had gone through the labor process three times before. One would think that he would be used to it and a little more calm.

"Call an ambulance?"

"I can't leave my kids alone."

I nodded even though he couldn't see it through the phone. "I'll be there in five minutes."

I went to my garage and got into the SUV that I had brought a year ago. I had only gotten to drive it twice, because I always just used my car. But the SUV was the only vehicle big enough for Puck's family.

I got to their house quickly and the Puckerman family was already waiting outside.

Puck helped his family into the back seat. He walked to the driver's side.

"Give me the keys."

"What?"

"No offense, but I can't risk my family. Have you been drinking?"

"No." I answered honestly.

Puck studied my face for a moment before giving me a quick nod. He believed me.

* * *

><p>Puck and Lauren were rushed into the delivery room. I sat in the waiting room, watching their four kids.<p>

"Uncle Sam…" Zack said in a quiet voice. "I'm scared."

"Everything is going to be fine, Zack." I said, trying to comfort him. "You should be happy. You're about to get a little sister."

"Another one?" One of the triplets asked.

I laughed. "Yeah, another one."

"I'm bored." Another triplet added.

I scratched the back of my head. How do you entertain four little kids? Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a guitar case next to a woman reading a magazine. I hadn't played guitar since college. I had quit guitar club in order to focus on football.

I stared at that guitar and it hit it. I had an idea.

After the getting permission from the woman, I played a few songs for the kids. To my surprise, they really enjoyed it.

Soon, it was about 9 pm and the kids were asleep on the couch. I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked up to see an elderly woman.

She smiled. "You are really good with kids. You must have kids of your own."

I shook my head. "No, ma'am."

"Oh." She said. "I guess that parental instinct just comes naturally to some people."

"Umm…thank-you." I said as she walked away.

"Sam!"

I stood up.

Puck ran toward me and grabbed my shoulders. He was overcome with joy. "She's beautiful."

"The baby? What's her name?"

"Katy. Her name is Katy Puckerman."

* * *

><p>"Katy!" Heather said. She seemed excited that her best friend had entered the story. A best friend that Heather had practically grown up with. "I didn't know that you were at the hospital when Katy was born."<p>

I nodded. "I was. Puck and Lauren were really excited about her being born. But I think Lauren was a little more happy that she wasn't pregnant anymore."

Heather smiled. "Okay, so what happens next?"

"Well…"

* * *

><p>During that night at the hospital, I had realized my calling. I wanted to be a psychologist. I wanted to study child development and counseling psychology. So, I enrolled back into college and it became my primary focus. My life was just school for the next year. I stopped going to therapy, because my depression gone. The psychiatrist said that therapy was no longer necessary. I could finally drink again. I could drink and control myself. I could have a drink and there would be no internal urge to have another.<p>

I was 24 and my life was finally together. I had a singular focus on my studies.

I had been in school so much that I hadn't had time to read my mail. So one Saturday in May 2018, I decided to go through my huge stack of mail. And I had two letters from Quinn. I read the earliest one first. It was from April.

_Dear Sam,_

_I'm so glad to hear that you're doing better. Finn and I were really worried about you. Anyway, I hope you write or call us soon. Our baby has gotten so big and already walking. I know that we have this weird tradition of passing the promise necklace back and forth, but I can't this time. The baby has grown really attached to it and I can't bear to take it away._

_I've debated on whether to include this part of the letter, but Finn has been acting strange lately. He has been distant and quiet. I try to talk to him but he just shuts off even more. Do you know what is wrong with him? I know you two are close and talk a lot._

_Sincerely,_

_Quinn_

I closed the letter. I laughed just imaging Finn avoiding Quinn. He was a horrible liar and that was probably the reason he was avoiding her. He didn't want to spoil a surprise trip to Paris that he had been saving up for. Finn had told me about renting a plane so the getaway would resemble the ending of Quinn's favorite movie, Casablanca.

I looked down at the other letter. I smiled. I was happy for Finn and Quinn, but I was a little jealous. Mercedes and I were supposed to have that, but I ruined it.

I wondered where she was and how she was doing. I didn't have the courage to contact her. Mercedes said that she never wanted to see me again…that was how it had been. She was probably better without me, but I still missed her. I had never stopped loving her. I found that insane. After everything that happened, there was still nothing that would make me happier than seeing Mercedes walking through my door.

I looked at my phone. Again, I thought about calling her. What did I have to lose? At this moment, I really needed some courage. I needed some audacity that wasn't inside of me.

I sighed and I heard the phone ring. My heart was in my throat as I flagged off the ridiculous idea that I had mentally willed Mercedes to call me.

I put the second letter into my pocket, before picking up the phone.

I instantly became worried after I heard sobs.

Kurt was crying. "Sam, something bad happened. We need you to come to the Lima Medical Hospital's Emergency Room."

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so this chapter was hard to write, because I wanted to paint an accurate picture of depression. Hopefully, I did.<strong>

**Also, sorry that this chapter had so much angst, but it was a part of the story.**

**Anyway, the mom is revealed in the next chapter. **

**What did you guys think?**


	30. Chapter 29: Emergency Room

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review! Please forgive any grammatical errors.

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

Author's Note: This is one of major chapters that I've been building up to. As a forewarning, this chapter is shorter than usual, but questions get answered. Also, I think some people misunderstood me when I said the mother will be revealed in Chapter 29. I know in my email it comes up like this Chapter 29 Title: Chapter 28: Save Yourself. I meant this chapter Chapter 30 Title: **Chapter 29: Emergency Room.** I just wanted to clear that up. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Cardboard touched wood as I put down the small shoe box on the coffee table.<p>

"Why did you get the box?"

Heather's question hung in the air as we took a moment to look at the box. It was the second time in a week that I had removed the shoe box from the top shelf in my closet. It was two times more than I had taken that box out in years. The box was mundane, worn, and old but its contents were precious. Its contents were about to be seen by eyes other than mine. It was time for Heather to know what was inside.

I answered her question, "Because you're about to find out what's in it."

Heather hopped a little in her seat, but quickly composed herself. She was seemingly trying to contain her excitement. "I've been waiting for this moment."

"I'm going to open it at an appropriate time in the story."

Heather sighed, "Well I guess I can wait a little longer…what's next?"

"Umm…" My eyes closed as I tried to recall what had happened next. When I remembered my place in the story, I opened my eyes. "After I hung up the phone with Kurt, I ran to my car and drove like a madman to Lima."

* * *

><p>"Move!"<p>

My hand laid firmly into the horn as I yelled the word frantically, repeatedly. Lima rush hour traffic was horrible. I should have been at the hospital by now, especially after rushing down the highway in record time. There was only one time that I could remember traffic being this bad. And that was the time I had tried to stop Mercedes from going to London. Like the time before, the traffic looked more like a parking lot than a highway.

Two hours prior, I had gotten that desperate, somber call from Kurt. He only told me that something had happened and that I needed to come to the Lima Heights Medical Hospital right away. I practically begged Kurt to tell me what happened, but he wouldn't. He said it was best that I didn't know until I got there. He didn't want me to get into an accident, because he knew I would have to drive to get there.

But the fact that he didn't want me to know and that he was crying, truly terrified me. Several horrible scenarios had played through my head as I made my two hour trip from Cleveland to Lima. It had to be someone within our glee group that was hurt.

My greatest fear was that something had happened to Mercedes and Kurt didn't want to say until I got there. Our last conversation played my through my head and I hit the steering wheel in anger at myself. If something had happened to her and our last conversation was our _last_ conversation, I would be devastated. Things couldn't end behind us like _that_.

After parking my car, I ran through the parking lot and into the front doors of the hospital. The guard pointed me in the direction of the emergency room and I ran again. My sneakers squeaked against clean hospital floor as I tried to stop myself. A red emergency sign hung above the entrance to the ER. I pressed my hand to the door to open it but I stopped when I felt a vibration in my pocket. I fished my phone out and looked down to see a text from Kurt.

"_We were moved. Meet us in the Pediatric wing."_

My arms dropped as questions started to enter mind. Pediatric wing? Did something happen to a child? I shook the thought and ran inside.

* * *

><p>Finally, I walked into the ER in the Pediatric wing and everyone was already there. Whatever happened…it must have been bad. Everyone was spread around the room, consoling each other. On the couch, Lauren was consoling Puck who had his face buried in his hands. Mike and Tina sat next them, their faces blank and downcast, like they were in shock. On an adjacent couch, Matt had his arm around Rachel who was in tears. Rachel kept repeating <em>'why?'<em> in a low voice. Matt didn't respond, seemingly at a loss for words himself. Brittany sat on the window ledge and stared out the window. Her face was gloomy, unlike the usual happy Brittany. Artie was off to the side of the room looking down at his hands. I was afraid.

"What happened?" My voice shook. Then I swallowed hard, trying to calm my voice. The eyes of my closet friends rose and landed on me.

"Sam…" Tina started. She fiddled with the sleeves of her scrubs unsure what to say. She was about to speak again, but she was interrupted when doors of the ER opened behind me.

I turned to see Burt holding a distraught Carol as they walked into the room. Kurt and Finn's parents were here. My eyes blinked a few times. I knew. "Where are Finn and Quinn? What happened to their kid?"

"Sam."

I looked over to Lauren whose mascara was running down her face. Puck wrapped his arm around her shoulders, trying to comfort her. She sighed before saying the words, "Finn and Quinn are dead."

Her hand covered her mouth, like she was shocked at the words that had come out of it. My shoulders dropped and my arms hung to my sides. I took a few steps back and leaned against the wall. My mouth opened but no words were willing to come out. My line of vision jumped around the room from person to person and I wanted someone to explain. I finally focused my vision forward as I tried to comprehend what Lauren had just said. But I couldn't. What was going? What happened? How could this happen?

Puck let out quick, jagged breaths. His chest heaved up and down as he leaned forward to bury his hands in his face again. For the first time ever, I saw him cry.

Then I realized that it must be true. I knew Puck. He doesn't cry easily and it would take tragedy of this magnitude for him to cry. Suddenly, the room felt colder. Two of my friends were gone.

"No!" I heard a yell come from the person who had called me to come to this ER. Kurt took a few steps toward Lauren, "You don't know that! Don't say that!" Blaine pulled Kurt back by his arm and wrapped him in a tight hug. Kurt cried hysterically like he had on the phone earlier. Blaine held him with a still face, like he couldn't believe what was happening.

Kurt's reaction confused me. Was there a possibility that Finn and Quinn were alive? My mouth opened and words finally translated my thoughts. "Are they or aren't they? What happened?"

I didn't get the answer to my question, because at that moment a woman with a clipboard walked in the ER and demanded our attention. She was a social worker.

"Alright. Who is here for the Hudson child?" She asked in a voice too casual for the situation.

The social worker took a few steps back when everyone in room stood up. She looked through her paper work. The amount of people in the room put a little more urgency in her movements.

She stammered, "You're-you're _all_ here for the Hudson kid? Who is the family?"

Burt, Carol, Kurt, and Blaine raised their hands in response to the family question

Then Puck took a step forward and said what we all felt. "No, we are _all _family. Every single person in this room."

The social worker burrowed her brows and flipped through the documents on the clipboard again. "But none of you were emergency contacts, except for the grandparents."

Tina's previously blank face turned into one of fury. "If you had done your damn job, you would have found us. Instead of putting that poor child in foster care."

"What?" I asked. "In foster care? For how long?"

Puck stepped forward to tell the story of what had happened. Finn had surprised Quinn with a trip to Paris last April, a month ago. When Finn and Quinn never came back from the trip after a week, the babysitter called the police. The child was given to social services by the police, and then placed in foster care. A foster mother took the child in, but she already had five other children. She wasn't watching her when the child fell down while playing outside.

There was an intern from social services that had placed himself on the Hudson case. He had found the child outside the foster mother's house on a routine visit. He took the child to the hospital and it was determined that the child had to get stitches. The child was brought over to the ER; when-_luckily, miraculously_-Tina was the nurse that treated her. Tina recognized her and called all of us.

Then Blaine called the private plane company that Finn rented the plane from. The company hadn't heard from the pilot and tried calling Finn and Quinn's house to alert family, but the phone just rang. No one was there.

The plane never landed in Paris. No one knew if they were lost at sea or if there was crash. But the plane hadn't been found, so it most likely the latter.

I sat down as everything sunk in. "I just talked to Finn a month ago."

"It's my fault." Kurt said with tears still falling from his face. "I talk to him every week. I should have noticed that he hadn't called me in weeks. I've been so wrapped up with my auditions."

Blaine shook his head. "It's not your fault. There is no way that you could have seen this coming."

The social worker cleared her throat, regaining the room's attention. "I'm sorry for your loss and this is going to come across as insensitive anyway that I said it but I have other cases and other children to attend to. Who wants to take the child? I presume immediate family?"

"Yes!" Kurt said stepping forward. "Blaine and I can take her."

"No." Burt said. "Kurt, you don't know what you're getting yourself into. Raising a child is a major responsibility."

Carol nodded. "I think that we should take her."

There was a back-and-forth argument between Kurt and his parents over who should take Finn and Quinn's child. Burt and Carol felt that she was their grandchild and responsibility. Kurt argued that it would be too much for them, given what had happened in the last year. Carol had recently been diagnosed with an advanced form of cancer. They had been out of the country, trying a new treatment that hadn't been approved in the US, which is why they didn't get the call from social services. They had just gotten back when Kurt called them.

Burt and Carol weren't backing down. Burt said affirmatively, "We'll take care of her."

Kurt sighed, crossing his arms. He wasn't backing down either. "I know, dad. But Carol is weak and you can't take care of them both. Dad, that's too much for one person."

The social worker interjected, "What about the maternal grandparents?"

"Quinn's dad left when she was in high school." Kurt said. "And Quinn's mom died about a year ago."

It had been a hard year for the Hudson family, which was a major reason why Finn had planned the trip. He wanted to cheer Quinn up and make her happy with a grand romantic gesture.

"I'm sorry." The social worker said. She looked at Kurt. "So you will be taking the child?"

Kurt looked back at his father and stepmother, waiting for an answer. "Can I?"

Carol sighed. "That's our grandbaby, but I know Kurt will look out for her."

Burt nodded in agreement.

Kurt turned back around to the social worker. "Blaine and I-"

"Kurt, can we talk about this?" Blaine asked. The member of the Hudson family by marriage was the only one that hadn't spoken up.

Kurt looked at Blaine, shocked. "What's there to talk about? It's my niece."

In Kurt's mind, it was a done deal. He and Blaine were taking a 19 month old baby home. Blaine didn't have the same mindset.

Blaine sighed and walked over to Kurt, before taking his hand. "I love her like family, but we can't take her. I'm in law school and you're always auditioning. We barely see each other as it is. When would we have the time for her? And we're definitely not financially ready to take in a kid."

"I could help." Rachel said from seat. "I can watch her when I'm not auditioning.

Kurt smiled. All the pieces were falling together. He turned to Blaine and said earnestly, "See? We have Rachel's help and I'm sure that we could guilt Santana into babysitting. We'll make it work. We can do this. I have to do this for Finn. And Quinn."

Puck spoke up, "What if Lauren and I take her? She could stay in Lima and be near her grandparents. She wouldn't have to move."

Kurt shook his head. "That's a nice offer, but Blaine and I are taking her home."

Blaine interjected, "Maybe we should hear Puck out. Kurt, I really am thinking of our niece first. We may not be the best choice for her."

"Yes, we are." Kurt said firmly.

The back and forth went on for a while, and eventually the social worker left to retrieve the child. I shifted in my seat and felt something poke me in my side. I reached in my pocket and retrieved the letter from Quinn that I had put in there just a few hours earlier.

Using my thumb, I ripped the seam of the envelope. I pulled out and opened the letter filled with cursive writing. At that moment, I realized that the letter contained the last words that I may ever receive from Quinn. I was about to read the letter but something else caught my eye.

The social worker brought the little girl back. The scared little girl sucked intensely on her thumb as she looked around the room. Her face softened somewhat at seeing familiar faces. I smiled at the little girl and noticed that the promise necklace hung around her neck.

* * *

><p>"Finn and Quinn had a girl?" Heather asked, interrupting the story. "I thought that they had a boy named Hayden."<p>

I shook my head. "The doctor was wrong. It was a little girl."

Heather nodded. As if inquisitive was inscribed in her DNA, the questions came quickly, naturally. "Whatever happened to her? Did you get the promise necklace back?"

Reaching forward, I grabbed the box and placed it on my lap. I removed the lid. "I did get the promise necklace back."

Feeling underneath the papers, I felt a thin metal chain. I lifted the necklace for Heather to see. After she saw it, I heard her gasp.

Heather grabbed the necklace. "I know this necklace."

"You remember it?"

Heather ran her fingers over the chain and examined it with fascination as she became reacquainted with an old friend. Heather said excitedly, "Quinn must have given this to me. That's why I recognize it. I figured it out! Quinn is my mother."

I nodded and sighed. "And Finn is your father."

Heather blinked her eyes rapidly. "What are you saying? You're not my dad?"

I had been dreading this moment for years and here it was. It was finally time to tell her the truth. "Sweetheart, I adopted you."

Heather clutched the necklace and stared at me. Her breathing became irregular and tears slid down her face. No words were said. Instead, she ran down the hallway into her room. I ran behind her and called for her, but it was too late. She had run into her bathroom and locked the door behind her.

I knocked on the door, "Sweetheart, open the door."

"Go away!"

I sighed and sat in front of the door, waiting for her to come out. Heather Hudson had locked herself in a bathroom and was crying upon finding out that she was adopted. It was the exact same thing that her sixteen old sister, Beth Corcoran, had done only days earlier.

* * *

><p><strong>I know some people saw this coming. Congrats to Bookworm92, msgrenee, This Calls for More Glitter,<strong>**twolyse**** and everyone else that predicted the identity of Heather's mom and dad. Sorry if I left anyone out. Also, I hope that at least someone was surprised about Finn being her dad. I was trying to drop hints without being too predictable. Anyway…the story is definitely not over and there are still more mysteries to solve. **

**Please review and tell me your thoughts. Thanks for reading!**


	31. Chapter 30: Daughter

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review! Please forgive any grammatical errors.

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

* * *

><p>It had been twenty minutes and the door hadn't moved an inch. I was worried. A slight debate was going on in my mind as to whether I should give her more time or break down the door. Sure, the latter option seemed extreme but she had been in there a long time.<p>

This was one of those instances that it sucked being a single parent. Every decision was solely up to you and there was no one else to ask for help.

"Why would you lie to me?"

Relief overcame me. Heather had started talking again. "Open the door."

"Answer my question."

I sighed again and decided to go along with it. Heather had the right to know these answers. "There were several reasons."

"Like?"

"Well…it was a group decision. We all decided that it was for the best that we lie to you for a while."

"Why?"

"Well, that requires me to continue the story. Do you want me to continue?"

My question was answered with silence and I wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the rest. "Heather?"

"What happened next? Why did they give me to you?"

"Well, it was because of that last letter from Quinn, the promise necklace, and…well, you won't believe who showed up…"

* * *

><p>There was still an argument going on among the people in the emergency room as to who would take Heather. Puck had volunteered, but Lauren reminded him that they had other children to care for. Also, their newborn, Katy, was only one year old and they had their hands full already. So, Kurt and Blaine once again became the lead candidates, until Tina threw her hat in. Tina argued that she was a pediatric nurse and could care for Heather. Also, they had the time for her since she and Mike didn't have children. But Mike disagreed. They weren't exactly financially stable at the moment, because Mike had recently realized his dream and opened a dance studio. It took almost all of their disposable income.<p>

They weren't a good fit and no one else really was either. Matt said that he would help financially, but he lived too far away and he already had MJ. Brittany lived out-of-state, too. Artie said that he wasn't ready to take care of a kid.

It was a tough decision. At this point, we were all in our early to mid twenties. Most of us were fresh out of college and trying to make it our own. Our lives were busy, hectic, slightly unstable, and we already had other responsibilities.

But all that aside, there was a little girl who needed our help. Finn and Quinn needed us to figure this out and we were failing them.

I looked down at the letter with cursive writing. I read my last letter from Quinn.

_Dear Sam, _

_ I usually don't send letters this close together, but I wanted to ask you something. Finn and I were discussing Heather's baptism and we realized that we hadn't asked anyone to be her godparents. We wanted to know if you would be Heather's godfather? We thought you would be the perfect person. You're so good with kids and you're one of the best people we know. If anything ever happened to us, we know that Heather would be in great hands._

_ I know that this is a lot to think about. Take some time to think it over and tell us what you think._

_ Quinn_

Finn and Quinn wanted me to be Heather's godfather? My eyes rose from the letter to the little girl, who was sitting on a bench kicking her feet, waiting for someone to take her home.

Could I handle a kid? I never imagined taking care of a child by myself. I had always pictured someone with me. I had always pictured Mercedes.

Heather played with the necklace around her neck. It brought me back to the day that Quinn and I made that necklace. I had run into Quinn at the library, where she had made a list of things about herself. It was a part of her plan to make herself a better person and to mend relationships that she had broken.

_"I think I should give this back to you…" Quinn took off the necklace with the promise ring on it and tried to return it to me._

_I shook my head. "I gave it to you, Quinn. It's yours."_

_"Take it." Quinn reached her hand out further as if to insist that I take it. "It has started to depress me lately. Also, I broke the promise attached to it so it really doesn't mean anything …anymore."_

_I sighed. "It still means something, Quinn."_

_She shrugged and looked at the ring. "What Sam? What does it mean?"_

_"I don't know…" Then it hit me. In one swoop, I could give the ring a meaning and help Quinn with her plan. I smiled and grabbed the necklace. "Give me your hand."_

_Quinn's eyebrows squished together as she reluctantly gave me her hand.. "What are you doing?"_

_I grabbed her hand and wrapped the necklace cord around her two middle fingers. I wrapped the other end around my two middle fingers. The ring hung between our hands. "I'm becoming your first regained friend."_

_"With this necklace I, Sam Evans, promise to always be a friend to Quinn Fabray. I promise to always be a friend whenever she needed it." I paused and looked at Quinn, who was smiling. "See Quinn, it means something now." I started to retract my hand, but Quinn stopped me. "Quinn, what are you-"_

_Quinn smiled. "With this necklace I, Quinn Fabray, promise to always be a friend to Sam Evans. I promise to always be a friend whenever he needed it."_

I was never really a superstitious person and didn't really believe in signs. But this was different. I knew I was supposed to do this. The symbol of the promise that I had made to Quinn hung around her daughter's neck. Quinn needed me to be a friend and take care of her daughter.

My thoughts were interrupted by a plea from a tired Rachel. "Will someone figure this out? Heather cannot stay here anymore. I'll take her."

I stood up, ready to take on my responsibility. "Guys, I think I'm supposed to take her."

The arguing ceased and everyone looked over to me. I knew what they were thinking behind their apprehensive smiles. That I wasn't fit to take Heather due to everything that had happened in the last two years.

Only Kurt verbalized his disapproval of the idea. "Sam, you're my friend, but you are the last person that should take Heather. You're still trying to get your life together."

"My life is together."

Kurt shook his head. "No, Sam. It's my niece and I'm not going to argue with you about this."

"I'm her godfather."

Kurt jerked his head back as if the words had hit. "What are you talking about?"

I raised the handwritten letter. Kurt promptly walked over and took. Kurt's eyes darted back and forth as he went over each line. He paused and looked over at me, before reading the letter again. Kurt read the letter multiple times, in disbelief of the words on the piece of stationery. "I don't believe this."

"Kurt?" Burt asked. "What does it say?"

Kurt dropped his arms, letter clutched in his hand. "Finn and Quinn wanted Sam to be Heather's godfather."

Burt walked over to Kurt and grabbed the letter from his hand. He read it, needing to see it for himself. "Wow. There it is."

Blaine walked over to a frozen Kurt. "Are you okay?"

"They chose him over me?" Kurt asked, looking to Blaine. Blaine frowned; Kurt needed an answer that Blaine really couldn't give him.

Carol crossed her arms. "Sam, are you able to take care of a child?"

The group looked to me, waiting for my answer. "I would try my best. When I was sixteen, I took care of my brother and sister when parents had to look for jobs-"

Carol interjected, "But they weren't babies."

I nodded. "I know, but-"

"He'll have my help." Tina said.

Mike grabbed her hand. "Tina, wait-"

Tina ignored Mike and wiggled her hand free of his. "Mike's dance studio was opening in Cleveland, so we were considering moving there anyway. I specialize in Pediatrics, so I can help."

I smiled at Tina in thanks and she nodded backed.

I turned my attention back to Carol. "Listen, I made a promise to Quinn a long time ago that I would be her friend when she needed me and Finn is also one of my best friends. I want to do this for them."

Carol sighed. "But do have the time? Can you support her financially?"

"I'm a student, so my schedule is very flexible. I can plan my schedule around her. As for my finances…I still have about twenty-four and half million dollars left from football."

There were a few muffled snickers from the glee group at my last statement.

"No." Kurt said, shaking his head. "Sam, you're not fit to raise a child and you wouldn't be good for her. You're not mentally-"

"Don't attack my character."

Puck interjected, "Sam would be a good-" Puck paused, his features became angry. He seemed almost possessed as he marched forward, pointing toward the ER doors. "What the hell are you doing here?"

I looked behind me and blinked a few times as I looked at the man standing in the doorway of the ER. He was only a fourteen year old boy when I last saw him last, but it was him. Six years ago, he had attempted to rob me and ended up shooting Finn.

Blaine grabbed Puck who looked like he was ready to attack him.

The man walked cautiously over to Heather and the social worker, before kneeling down and handing a teddy bear to Heather.

"Stay away from her!" Puck warned, his face turning red. "You shouldn't even be near her."

The social worker turned her attention to the man. "Carlos, do you know the family?"

"What is going on?" I asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't give a shit!" Puck said as he struggled to get out of Blaine's grip. But Blaine held firm. "That's the man who attacked Sam and shot Finn. Get away from Heather. "

Could this day get any more bizarre? I turned my attention to the social worker. "Why is he let anywhere near Heather?"

The social worker stammered, "I-I don't know what's going on right now. Carlos is our intern. Carlos, can you explain any of this? What are they talking about that you shot someone?"

Carlos stood up and faced our group. "If you bear with me, I can explain the whole story. My name is Carlos Rodriguez and six years ago my family had some financial hardship. We were going to lose our house, so I did a stupid, irrational thing." He looked at me. "I tried to rob you and I accidentally shot your friend. Her father. And I swear it was an accident. I just wanted to scare them and get some money for my family."

"Why are you near my grandchild?" Burt asked. "Step away from her."

Carlos respected Burt's wishes. He moved away from Heather, before he continued. "I was on trial and it was almost a sure thing that I was going to be put away for a long time. The district attorney had thrown the book at me and tried me as an adult. I wouldn't have gotten out until I was in my fifties. But then a miracle happened. The judge got two letters, from Sam Evans and Finn Hudson. They wanted to have the charges dropped and the judge complied. I was given a second chance and I was able to go to college, the University of Northwestern Ohio. I majored in social work so that I could help other kids in Lima Heights like me. As a part of my study, I got an internship in social services. I was going through cases when I found this one. When I saw a picture of this little girl and I found out who her father was, I made it my personal mission to watch out for her. I was the one who found her and took her to the hospital."

The social worker looked to the ceiling. "That's why you were always so concerned about this case."

Carlos nodded. "I had to look out for her. I owed it to her father for giving me a second chance at life."

As I listened to his story, I found myself in his words. I felt like I owed this to Finn, too. Finn had saved my life, six years ago. The least that I could do was give Heather a good life.

Carlos finished and everyone was at a loss for words. Even Puck had calmed down. It was definitely a conflicting moment. The same man, who had hurt Finn, saved Heather.

Carlos started to speak again, "I heard you all taking about who was going to take her. And my opinion may mean nothing, but I agree with the parents. In his letter, Sam Evans wrote about his experience with homelessness and how he empathized with me."

He then went on to talk about how my words had changed his life and helped him. I was shocked that my story could actually help someone.

Carlos finished, "In my opinion, Sam Evans is resilient, kind, caring, forgiving, and very fit to raise a child."

Everyone was quiet, unsure of what to say. Except Kurt.

"You're right." Kurt said. "Your opinion means nothing."

* * *

><p>Two hours had passed and we were in the same place as before, arguing over who should take Heather. Everyone stayed except Carlos who left on Carol and Burt's request.<p>

Heather had grown tired and was asleep on Tina's lap. The social worker had sat down, waiting for us to hash this out. It had come down to two possible places. She could move to New York City, NY with Kurt and Blaine or Cleveland, Ohio with me. Almost everyone was in consensus that I should take her. It was what Finn and Quinn had wanted, but Kurt was adamant in his conviction that Heather was better suited to go with him. He wasn't going to let her go.

Kurt folded his arms and made one last plea for everyone to see his way. "Besides her grandparents, Blaine and I are the only family that Heather has left."

He turned to me and dropped his arms. "Sam, _please_ don't take her away from me."

"I'm not taking her from you." I looked over to Heather, who had opened her brown eyes. Kurt was right this little girl needed to be around her biological family, so I came up with a solution. "Maybe…I could take her temporarily."

Kurt crossed his arms. "What do you mean?"

I turned my attention back to Kurt and explained my plan. "Well, you and Blaine don't have the time or money right now. But when you do, you can have Heather."

Kurt's eyes widened, until all the white around his iris was exposed. "You would do that?"

I nodded. "Heather is your family. I'm just trying to help."

Kurt turned to Blaine. No words were exchanged, just a nod from Blaine and a smile from Kurt. He turned walked towards me and caught me off guard with a hug. "Thank-you so much. I promise that Blaine and I will figure something out and we'll come to get Heather really soon."

Kurt pulled away.

I smiled, "She'll be waiting for you."

* * *

><p>"Kurt, what happened?"<p>

A familiar voice released the words that made my heart skip a beat. I turned around to see Mercedes, standing in front of the ER doors. Kurt nearly ran to her and engulfed her in a hug, before crying into her shoulder.

Mercedes rubbed Kurt's back as he repeated the words 'they're gone.' Kurt had now released the words that he yelled at Lauren for speaking earlier. It was now sinking into Kurt that Quinn and Finn may never come back.

Mercedes' confused eyes jumped from person to person. When her eyes connected with mine, a motley group of feelings came forward. There was anger, guilt, thankfulness…happy. Above everything, I was so happy to see her. And I wasn't the only one who felt this way. There were smiles among the group at seeing their friend back. Kurt had his best friend who comforted him despite being completely ignorant of what happened.

The group had their friend. Kurt had his best friend. And I had…well, I didn't know what to expect for her. She averted my gaze.

Mercedes repeated her question, just like I had hours earlier. She wanted to know why we were all gathered in an emergency room. When Kurt explained to Mercedes what had happened to Quinn and Finn, tears escaped her eyes.

Mercedes looked into Kurt's red eyes. "What about Heather? Where is she?"

Kurt looked over to Heather and Mercedes followed his line of vision. She was still lying on Tina's lap, waiting for the social worker to bring her things.

Mercedes rushed over to Heather and knelt in front of her. Heather sat up and some of her hair fell in her face. Mercedes smiled at the little girl. Using her fingertips, she brushed the hair from in front of Heather's face. "It's going to be alright, baby girl. Everything is going to be just fine."

Heather began to suck her thumb again and stared at Mercedes. Mercedes rubbed the side of Heather face and looked at Tina. "Is she okay?"

Tina shook her head. "She hasn't said anything. I know that she knows a few words, but she won't talk."

Mercedes nodded and placed a kiss on her forehead. "It's going to be okay." After giving Heather consolation, she then stood and began to walk toward Kurt, but I intercepted her.

"Mercedes, can we talk?" I asked

Mercedes looked up at me and sighed. "Okay."

I pointed my head toward the left side of the room. "Maybe we should talk in private."

Mercedes nodded and followed me to a more secluded part of the emergency room. We sat in two chairs across from each other. I looked at Mercedes and she tugged at her bracelet. I smiled. It was one of her quirks. Mercedes always played with her bracelet when we needed to talk about something important that she didn't want to talk about.

I started, "It's been a long time."

"Sam, I need to tell you something."

"Can I go first? Because I owe you a huge apology."

"You don't have to."

"Yes, I do."

Mercedes sighed. "Go ahead."

I sighed and reached for hands. She flinched a little-caught off guard-but she didn't retract her hands. "Mercedes, I'm sorry. I am so sorry."

I looked into her eyes and noticed that there was a sheen over them. "Mercedes, are you crying?"

She nodded. "It's a lot. Seeing you. Knowing that I wouldn't see Finn or Quinn again. And Heather…I can't even imagine. That poor little girl. I can't imagine what she going through. I know that we're all devastated, but she's a child. That's their daughter. This isn't fair. I can't. I just can't…"

"I know. I know." I said. "But Kurt and I are going to make things at least bearable for her."

Mercedes looked at me with those confused eyes again. "You and Kurt? What do you mean?"

"Mercedes, I'm-"

" Mr. Evans!"

Mercedes and I looked up to see the social worker walking over with Kurt and another woman behind her. We let go of our hands and stood. "Mr. Evans, we need to speak with you and Mr. Hummel. Alone. For confidentiality reasons." Mercedes took the hint and began to move forward, but I stopped her.

"No." I said. "It's fine. You can talk in front of Mercedes. She was close to Heather's parents too."

Kurt nodded. "Mercedes can definitely stay."

Mercedes crossed her arms, still confused by what was going on.

The social worker handed me a bag full of Heather's things. "The child psychologist wanted to speak with you before you took Heather home."

Mercedes inhaled sharply. "Take her? Sam is taking Heather home. Why not Kurt? What?" Mercedes was at a loss for words as she turned her attention to Kurt, who averted her stare.

"It's just temporary." Kurt said in a small voice. The tone of his voice and demeanor reminded me of guilt. Like he had done something wrong. But Kurt didn't have anything to feel guilty about. Now, I was the one who was confused.

The child psychologist stepped forward after a slightly awkward silence. "Mr. Evans, I wanted to speak about Heather."

"I'll go get her." The social worker said. She left.

The psychologist continued, "Heather has been through a lot and I think that we all know that. What I wanted to tell you was that Heather needs stability. After my session with her, I can tell that she knows that something is wrong. The two people that she has been around for the past 19 months are suddenly not here. She is also sad and irritable and I think its best that you avoid talking about her parents for a while. Until she is a little more stable. Maybe, you and she should adopt a stable family role for now."

"But she is only staying with Sam temporarily." Kurt said

"Oh." The child psychologist said. "I don't think it's good to change her home life too much. A child has to feel comfortable in their surroundings to prosper developmentally."

Kurt said, "It will just be one change and we agreed that it would be best for her to move in with me when I could accommodate her."

The psychologist nodded. "Still, provide her with the most stability possible."

We all nodded. We understood.

The psychologist walked away and the social worker came back with Heather. The social worker handed her to me and I held Heather in my arms. She looked into my eyes, before laying her head down on my shoulder.

The social worker smiled. "She seems to like you."

I nodded as my thoughts raced. I was taking a toddler home. What had I gotten myself into?

I looked over to Mercedes and found her already looking at us, intensely. "Mercedes, what did you want to tell me?"

I felt Heather clutch the collar of my shirt. I looked down at her and smiled.

"It's just temporary." Kurt repeated in that same small voice. That caught my attention as I looked at them.

Mercedes stared at Kurt for a while and Kurt stared back. Mercedes sniffled and used a finger to catch a tear coming out the corner of her eye. There was definitely something going on that they weren't telling me. "What is going on with you two?"

"Temporary." Mercedes said the word before turning to me. "Sam, I just wanted to say that…I am really going to miss this angel's parents. You're doing a good thing. I see you still have that hero complex."

Kurt walked past and hugged Mercedes. I could have sworn that he said thank-you, but I wasn't sure. I repeated my question. "What is going on?"

Mercedes shook her head, withdrawing herself from the embrace. "Nothing. Maybe we should rejoin the group."

* * *

><p>After I signed the paperwork, I became Heather's guardian. Everyone agreed that it was the best solution for the time being. Before we all went our separate ways again, Rachel gathered us all in a circle. She said that we all needed to made a new glee promise. The promise was to help me raise Heather while I had her. Everyone wholeheartedly agreed. Well, Artie demanded we change the name from 'glee promise'. It was too corny for his taste.<p>

After the goodbyes, we all went our separate ways. We all left with heavy hearts, but I left with a little girl in my arms.

The first month with Heather wasn't hard at all. She mostly drew with her crayons and played with dolls by herself. But one thing worried me…she was quiet. Heather was quiet all the time, which was a drastic contrast from the talkative, mobile Heather that I had heard so much about. There were several possible reasons for her odd behavior. Maybe she missed her parents or wasn't comfortable around me. Later on, I would learn the hard way that the cause of her personality flip was definitely about missing her parents.

One late night, a loud bang woke me out of my sleep. I jumped out of bed and ran towards Heather's room. There was no Heather in her crib and my heart dropped. I quickly checked the bathroom. She wasn't there. I checked the hall closet. Not there. My heart came back to life as it raced. Where could she be? How could I lose her? I checked the other two bedrooms and she was still nowhere to be found.

I ran into the living room and again, I came up short a baby. I was about to check the kitchen, when I heard someone say '_mama_'. It can from the foyer and that's where I found her.

A small, brown-haired toddler banged her little hands repeatedly on the front door. Tears streamed down her face. I will never forget the image.

"Mama!" Heather cried her voice high. Her palms turned red from repeated contact with the door. "Mama! Mama! I want my mama!"

My heart had dropped, raced, but now it broke at the sight before me. I picked up the baby and she continued to hit me, like she had the door. Years from now, Quinn's face, voice, and her warmth may have faded from a nine-year old Heather's memory. But Heather knew her. And she loved her. In her heart, Heather knew who her mama was.

I pulled Heather into a tight hug and placed my hand over her head. Rocking her back and forth, I whispered, "Don't cry. It's alright, sweetheart. I got you."

But it seemed useless. The tears and pleas for her mom were endless, even after I took the grieving child back to her room.

* * *

><p>I tried everything. Playing dolls, peek-a-boo, Matthew McConaughey impressions…but nothing stopped her from crying. I was about to call Mike and Tina, because at that point, I felt in over my head. Reaching over to the nightstand, my hand landed on something unfamiliar on route to the phone. I picked up a book that Stacey had left when she helped move Heather's things in.<p>

I read the title. "Nancy Drew?"

I shrugged. Why not? I was willing to try anything to help Heather sleep. The book spine still creaked as I opened the new book. I sat in the chair next to Heather's crib and read the first passage. By the second page, the crying had stopped. I looked over at Heather, amazed that reading had worked. Heather looked back at me and I continued to read. By the end of Chapter 2, she was fast asleep.

On that night, a tradition started. During the first few years, I would read Nancy Drew to her every night or when she was upset. It became something for us to bond over. For some reason-even in early childhood-Heather found comfort in mystery novels.

* * *

><p>"Yeah, Kurt, she's doing great." I said into the phone.<p>

It had been a year and a half since that night and Heather was doing better. Kurt and Blaine decided to let Heather stay longer with me, since Blaine's schoolwork had increased and Kurt had gotten a major role in a Broadway play.

"I'm about to give her lunch after this story." I said, sitting back down on the couch. A three-year-old Heather had a book in her lap, patiently waiting for me.

"Yeah, I'll tell her that you love her. Bye."

I turned to Heather and relayed the message. "Uncle Kurt loves you."

Heather nodded, before lifting the book. "I want a story."

I opened the Pocahontas book and began to read. At the climax of the story, something unexpected happened.

"Then Pocahontas laid over John Smith to stop his execution. Her father yelled at her."

"Oh no!" Heather said. Heather was wrapped up in the story and genuinely worried about the fate of the heroine. I couldn't help but chuckle at her.

"What happened next, daddy?"

I laid the book down on my lap and looked at Heather in shock. She called me 'daddy'. Heather had never called me that before.

Come to think of it, Heather really never called me anything. It is usually a slew of commands, like 'watch Sesame Street' or 'I want food'. Had she thought I was her dad this whole time? Should I correct her? Tell her to call me Uncle Sam?

"Daddy? Read?"

I didn't know what to do, so I looked back to the book.

And continued to read.

* * *

><p>Three months later, Kurt came for a visit and-unbeknownst to me-to take Heather to New York.<p>

"We're ready to take her." Kurt said, sitting across from me in the living room. Heather was in the kitchen drawing with her crayons.

"Now? I mean, you're taking her now?"

Kurt nodded. "Rachel moved out a few months ago, so Heather can have her room. We already have a babysitter and we saved up enough money for her. And I've taken a behind the scenes role in the new play, so I have a more flexible schedule for her-"

I frowned. He was really going to take her. But it had been almost two years. Heather and I had formed a little family that was all our own.

"Kurt, we need to talk…"

Kurt stopped his still going monologue. "What is it?"

"I want to adopt her." I was slightly shocked by my own words. It wasn't something that I had thought about. But the words didn't come from my head. They came from my heart.

Kurt sat back in his seat after my declaration. "Sam, I thought we had an agreement."

"Can we at least talk about it?"

"No. We had a deal. Heather is my niece. My family. I'm taking her. No discussion."

"Heather is my family, too."

I heard a pair of feet move quickly toward us. Our conversation ended abruptly so Heather won't hear us.

"Daddy, look!" Heather held up the drawing. "I drew us!"

Kurt crossed his arms. "She calls you daddy?"

"That's great, sweetheart. Can you draw another one for Uncle Kurt?" I said looking at the picture. Heather smiled, before walking back into the kitchen.

I turned to Kurt. "It started a couple of months ago. I didn't know what to do and the psychologist that we should a father/daughter role."

Kurt shook his head. "It isn't right."

I whispered. "What was I supposed to do? It didn't seem like the right moment to say that your parents are most likely…not coming back."

"Finn is her father."

"I know that and I wish that he was here. Heather is an amazing little girl who deserves both her parents instead of us figuring out where she can stay." I looked at her at the kitchen table. She was focusing intently on her drawing.

Kurt said, "This isn't right…you can't keep her."

"Why not?"

"Because I would be breaking a promise. A few." Kurt paused. "I promised that it would be temporary. Sam, you can't adopt her."

"Why not? Kurt, I want to adopt her. Heather is so smart, curious, fun, and witty. In the past two years, she has become an essential part of my life. Sometimes, I feel guilty that Finn and Quinn aren't getting this time with her. But I'm happy to see her everyday and see her grow up. I would do anything for her. I-"

"Love her?" Kurt said, finishing my sentence.

I nodded. It was true.

I heard the footsteps again, but this time, it was followed by a cry. Heather had hit her arm on a side table. She stood next to side table, crying and clutching her arm. I walked over and picked her up.

"It's okay, sweetheart." I said rubbing her arm.

"It hurts."

"You just bumped. The pain doesn't last long." I lowered my voice and did a James Earl Jones impression. "Use the force within to heal yourself."

Heather laughed. "Your voice is funny."

Kurt stood up. "Heather, you think your dad's voice is funny?"

Heather nodded. My eyes widened slightly. Kurt referred to me as her dad.

Kurt walked over and took Heather in his arms. "Do you love your dad?"

"Yeah. He's a lotta fun."

I smiled. "Kurt?"

Kurt shrugged. "I guess, we have to work on the paperwork to make Heather's placement permanent. You're doing a good job and Heather obviously likes it here. I can't take her away. Not now. This is what's best for her."

I nodded. "Thank you, so much."

"But I want her in the summer. For at least month."

I nodded. "How about July?"

* * *

><p>Coming back from memory lane, I looked to the bathroom door. Heather hadn't responded.<p>

"Heather?"

"What else happened?"

I sighed. "The rest is history. Kurt and Blaine helped me get permanent custody. I finished my bachelor's and master's degrees, before getting a job as a school counselor. And you grew up from a three-year-old to an amazing, talented nine-year-old.

"Why lie?"

I crossed my arms. "There were many reasons. We didn't want to paralyze you with hope. Their bodies were never found but the plane was. They got off the plane and there was a chance that they were okay. Some of us still have hope that Finn and Quinn will come back one day. And I'm one of them. But we didn't want that for you. You're their daughter so it would be worse for you. We didn't want you standing at the door for years, hoping that one day they would walk through. Sometimes, having hope can be torture. We wanted you to have a normal, happy childhood. Also, I wanted to wait until you were old enough to take the news. I mean it's not a happy story. We lied to protect you from the truth. From the harsh reality."

"I wish you had never told me." Heather said. "I knew there was a chance that I would lose my mom. That she might be dead. I didn't think I'd lose you too. I wanted this story to have a happy ending."

I moved closer to the door and placed my hands to it. My tone was serious and direct. I wanted Heather to know that I wasn't going anywhere. "Listen to me, Heather. I'm still your dad, and you will never lose me." I paused. "And you're wrong. This story does have a happy ending."

"What?"

I smiled. "You."

Finally, Heather opened the door and I pulled her into a tight hug. "Heather, you're everything to me and I will never leave you. I'm in this for the long haul."

Heather nodded against my chest. Now, she knew.

Heather moved back. "Dad, I just need a minute to think. I want to be by myself."

I nodded. "Whatever you need."

Heather went back into the bathroom and closed the door.

* * *

><p>A minute turned into an hour and she still hadn't come out. I would knock on the bathroom door every five minutes to make sure that she was okay. She would respond 'more time' and I would grow more worried with every trip back to the room.<p>

After grabbing a water bottle from the refrigerator, I started to make my way back to Heather to check on her again. But I stopped when I heard the front door open and close. I stood near the living room couch as Mark walked into the living room from the foyer.

"Where is Heather?" Mark asked, stopping in the doorway between the living room and foyer.

"She locked herself in the bathroom-"

"Because you told her that she was adopted and that Finn Hudson and Lucy 'Quinn' Fabray are her biological parents."

I tilted my head to the side. "How?"

"Beth told me." Mark said. "Beth told me everything that you told her mom last night."

I nodded. "I should have figured that she would tell you."

Mark dropped his backpack to the side. "So, Beth and Heather are sisters?"

I nodded. "Yes. Heather has been so shocked that she hasn't even asked about that part. I still have to figure out how to get her out of that bathroom."

Mark's face lit up, like he had an idea. "What about Beth? Do you think that she would come out to meet her sister?"

I shook my head. "That's too much for one day."

Mark walked into the living room as he said, "Um…Sam, I need to tell you something."

"What did you do?"

Mark put up his arms in defense. "It wasn't me! Beth kinda followed-_well, stalked_-me back here. She wants to meet…well re-meet Heather."

Mark looked into the foyer and tilted his head to the side as if to signal someone to come in.

With tentative steps, Beth made her way into the living room, stopping behind Mark. "Mr. Evans, I want to meet my sister."

* * *

><p>To say I had reservations about this impromptu meeting was an understatement. Heather was still trying to process the situation and I didn't think that she needed any more life-changing conversations today. But Mark and Beth had other plans. With Mark's backup, Beth emphatically explained why they had to meet sooner than later. They were sisters and the only real connection either of them had to their biological mother. They had to meet with the knowledge that they were sisters. They were family.<p>

They didn't need to convince me on that point. I knew that I needed to speed the story- when-thanks to Mark-they met on that ride to Beth's house. Looking through the car mirror, I saw Quinn's girls sitting next to each other. Each unaware of the innate bond that they shared. At that moment, I knew that I needed to tell Shelby Corcoran about Finn, Quinn, and Heather, so she in turn could tell Beth. Unlike most people, Heather had a sister that she hadn't had the privilege of growing up with. And maybe through meeting Beth, Heather would realize what she gained. Heather had gained a sister, someone who she could walk through life with. A sister who knew exactly what Heather was feeling right now, because the experience was still fresh in her own mind.

Standing next to Heather's bedroom door, Mark and I watched as Beth's feet stopped short of the bathroom door. Beth looked back at Mark and me with a face that only could be described as anxious. Her usual tough demeanor had completely melted away.

Mark smiled. "Don't worry. She already likes you."

Beth had been afraid of what Heather would think of her? Something about that made me smile. Maybe because it insinuated that Beth already cared for Heather or maybe it was because I was just happy for them.

Beth sighed heavily before seating down in front of the door. With her fist clenched, she knocked on the door. "Heather?"

There was some shuffling that even I could hear coming from the other side of the bathroom door. "Who is that? Where is my dad?"

"It's me. It's Beth. Your sister." Beth paused. "Your dad is out here too. He said that I could meet you."

There was silence on the other side of the door. I briefly thought that this meeting should happen later. I thought that this may have been too much for Heather, but I shook the thought and the worry.

But Beth couldn't. No one was more worried than Beth as she looked back at us again. If even possible, her face was even more anxious.

Mark mouthed, "Breathe."

Beth took his advice and took a deep breath. She turned back to the door, more determined to reach her sister. "Listen, kiddo…um, I know what you're doing and trust me it doesn't work."

Heather finally spoke, "What do you mean? How is this happening?"

Beth crossed her arms. "Well, for the second question, my name is Beth Corcoran. Quinn-our mom-gave me up for adoption about sixteen years ago. Now, I live with my mom, Shelby, and go to the high school that your dad works at. Small world, huh? Anyway, your dad connected the dots and realized that I was your sister. He told my mom, who told me. And when I found out that I had a sister…I had to meet you. But come to find out, I already had. I met you about an hour before my mom told me about you. And…um…I…"

Beth lost track of her words and the nerves were setting in again. Mark walked over and sat next Beth. He grabbed her hand and whispered something into her ear that caused her to smile. It was sort of strange that Beth and Mark had developed a great friendship so quickly. It was just like they just clicked. But it was a good strange. Obviously a friendship that Beth and Mark both needed, after Beth losing her best friend and boyfriend in the span of a day and Mark going through the loss of his mother.

Whatever Mark said was just the thing that Beth needed to hear, because she continued her speech. "As for the first question, I know what you're doing, because I did the same thing. Growing up, I never felt like I belonged. My mom didn't get me. I never had a dad. Sometimes, I felt would feel _really_ alone. Then I found out I was adopted and the feelings got worse. I found out that my biological parents had given me away and I felt more rejected and alone. So I ran and locked myself in the bathroom. I know why you chose it. It was a small space that you could lock yourself in. You could have time to think and no one would come in. You could speak your thoughts aloud and no one would hear. You could cry and no one would see. Plus, there is a toilet and water from the sink so you would really only have to leave for food, so it's the best practical place to hide out. But anyway…trust me, locking yourself in the bathroom and crying a puddle on the bathroom floor isn't going to change anything. You're still adopted and that wouldn't change. But you can talk to people to help you through this. I talked to your dad. He really helped. You're lucky. You can talk to him anytime that you want. I had to make an appointment. I also talked to Mark. Again, lucky you, you live with him. Okay, I'm going to stop my rambling but I want you to know these few things."

Beth paused. "You're not alone. Your dad is still your dad. And kiddo…I love you already. Please come out. I want to meet you. You're my sister and I finally don't feel alone, because of you."

A few minutes passed and there was no respond from Heather's side of the door. Those minutes feel like hours as we waited for the door to open. But it didn't.

Beth and Mark stood up and took a few steps away from the door.

Beth sighed. "Maybe I should come back later…"

I walked over to the door and knocked. "Heather?"

Mark shrugged. "Beth, I'll walk you to the bus stop."

They didn't even make it out the room when the doorknob jiggled. The door opened to reveal a slightly red-eyed Heather.

Heather walked forward towards Beth and wrapped her arms around Beth's waist in a hug. "I always wanted a sister."

The biggest smile spread across Beth's face as she wrapped her arms around Heather. "I have a sister. This still blows my mind. Wow…what would our mom think if she could see this now? What would she say?"

Beth's words worked as a catalyst to a long forgotten memory. Years ago, I had packed away Heather's things from Finn and Quinn's home after I got custody of her. One of those possessions had been a set of DVDs that may have the answer to Beth's question. "I think I know exactly what Quinn would think."

* * *

><p>Beth and Heather sat on the couch as I shuffled through items in the box from my top shelf. I had just showed the rest of the items in the small shoe box, which were just two papers and the promise ring necklace. The two papers were Heather's adoption papers and birth certificate. Final proof of Heather's origins.<p>

Now I was about to show items in the bigger boxes. It was mostly pictures, but it did contain letters from Quinn, Mercedes' cds, college memorabilia, and DVDS. But these DVDs were special. They were made by Finn and Quinn. The overzealous parents had practically taped everything during Heather's first 19 months. One DVD said Heather's first steps. Another said Heather's first word. Another said Heather watching football. These would probably make for an emotional, sentimental afternoon watch one day, but I was looking for one DVD in particular. One DVD that Quinn had been made for Heather and-hopefully Beth-to see one day. I wanted to fill my friend's wish. It was the last DVD, entitled 'Heather Sleeping'.

"I found it." I opened the old case and placed the DVD into the DVD player.

"What is it about?" Mark asked from a chair next to the couch.

I sat in a chair on the opposite side of the couch. "You'll see."

I pushed play on the remote and watched as Finn popped up on the TV screen.

"_Finn, what are you doing?" A voice could be heard asking him off camera._

_An intense stare overcame Finn's face. "I'm trying to figure out why this thing isn't working…Oh shoot! It's on!" The camera's vision moved so fast that it was a blur. When the camera settled, we could see Quinn sitting in a chair next to an infant asleep in her crib. The light shone in through the window of the pink room._

_Quinn waved into the camera. "Hi future Heather!"_

"_Is it weird that we're taping everything?" Finn asked, from behind the camera. "Mike said it's weird."_

_Quinn shook her head at the question. "How would he know? He doesn't have kids. I want to remember everything about Heather and show these DVDs to her one day. We can experience her childhood all over again. Plus, I want to remember myself before wrinkles and old age."_

"_Quinn, you'll always be beautiful."_

_Quinn smiled. "I love you."_

"_I love you too." Quinn became bigger on the screen as the camera came closer. The camera hung over the crib and taped Heather asleep, sucking her thumb._

"_She is precious." Quinn said and Finn moved the camera on Quinn. "I'm so thankful that I get to see her grow up."_

_Finn's intuition must have kicked in and heard the underlying message. "You're thinking about her, huh?"_

_Quinn nodded. "When I see Heather, sometimes I think about Beth and what happened to her. But I know that I gave up the right to know when I gave her to Shelby." Quinn looked down at her watch and squinted her eyes. "Finn, when were you supposed to meet Puck?"_

"_2:00."_

"_It's 1:50."_

"_Oh shoot!"_

The screen went black and I looked over to see three confused faces.

"Is that it?" Beth asked.

I shook my head and Quinn popped back up on the screen. There was no light shining in the window and it was nighttime. Heather wasn't in her crib. Quinn reached forward and adjusted the camera. Sitting back in the chair, she stared forward with a pensive look on her face.

"_I can't sleep." Quinn confessed into the camera. "Finn has had a hard time too, so I couldn't bear to wake him. But I needed to get some things off my chest. My mom is sick and I'm scared. I'm scared to be in a world without my mom. It seems unthinkable…Finn and I just came back from the hospital. You're at the Jones. They were nice enough to watch you for us. That's why you're not in the crib." Quinn looked back momentarily at crib before looking back at the camera. "Excuse my randomness; I think it's the sleep deprivation. Anyway, this entire experience has made me rethink everything about parenthood and life. I wouldn't be who I am without my mom. She helped shaped who I am. And I'm going to shape who you are and that is a crazy amount of responsibility. What if I mess up? What if I don't instill the right values? I sure didn't know what to do the first time around-" Quinn paused. She looked down at her hands and then back up at the camera. "Heather, you have a sister. Her name is Beth and umm…I gave her away when I was sixteen. Maybe I'll show this video to you one day when you're sixteen. My life could be a cautionary tale for you." Quinn let out a gush of air. "I would love to know what happened to her. What is she like? Is she more like Puck or me? Is she smart? Adventurous? Beyond her years? I may never know. I miss her. I love my perfect baby. Sometimes, I wish that you could meet her than me. It isn't right. You didn't choose to not know your sister. But despite all that I'm so lucky. I get to watch my other perfect little girl grow up. Heather…I can't wait for the first day of school, teaching you how to ride a bike, drive a car…I think I'm most excited about seeing you go on Prom. I would really like that. I get to see who you become. Anyway, excuse the rambling. But Heather, I love you with all my heart. And you know that daddy loves you too. You're Finn's world." Quinn reaches forward and cuts off the camera._

I picked up the remote and turned off the TV. "Quinn wanted you two to know each other."

Beth smiled as she wiped away a few tears that had escaped her eyes. "She still thought me."

Heather smiled too. "Dad, I want to know everything about them."

I nodded. "I'll tell you everything that you want to know. But I think there some people who can tell it better. Everyone from our glee club is in town for the Jones' anniversary, so we can invite them over. You both can hear as many stories as you can stand. And Beth…"

Beth turned toward me.

"You can meet your father."

* * *

><p>It was Friday and everyone from glee was coming over to see Heather. I had tried calling Puck but he was still away. Maybe Beth wouldn't get to meet Puck today, but everyone else would be glad to see her.<p>

Heather was excited that she was going to see everyone in one room later that day. She was also excited to be able to invite Katy and her new friend Melissa over for a sleepover.

25-year-old Stacey and Stevie walked through the front door with shopping bags full of various snacks, chips, and soda.

"How is she?" Stacey asked, putting the bags down on the table.

"It's only been a few days. But she is better. Definitely better." I said. "She has hung out with her sister every chance she gets."

Stevie shook her head. "I can't believe that you found her sister. It's crazy how things work out."

Stacey rummaged quickly through the bags. "Stevie, where is the Mountain Dew?"

Stevie shrugged. "Maybe it's still in the car."

Stacey sighed, before grabbing the car keys and walking out the door.

"What time is this thing over?" Stevie asked.

"Why?"

"I have a date…two dates."

I shot him a judgmental look. "Really? In one night?"

"Don't judge me. At least, I'm haven't been infatuated with the same girl for years like some people."

"I can't judge you, but you can judge me?" I rolled my eyes and started pulling the groceries from the bags. "I'm not infatuated."

Stevie crossed his arms and leaned against the kitchen counter. "Good then I can set you up on a date."

Reaching in the cabinets, I pulled out a bowl and poured chips into it. "No thanks."

Stevie challenged me. "Then you are still infatuated with Mercedes? That has to be it. Why can't you date?"

"It's not infatuation."

"Is it love?"

"Where is this coming from?" I paused, before grabbing the stack of plastic cups to place next to the sodas. "Drop it."

It seems Stevie's eyes almost bulged out of his head. "I knew. You have got to be kidding me. Do you still love her?"

"Drop it."

Stevie shook his head. "You're just like dad and grandpa. Hopeless romantics. It's a horrible fate. I don't understand how you can be in love with the same girl for so long. I mean-there are _so many girls_. Different kinds of girls. Why restrict yourself to just one?"

My eyebrows burrowed as I tilted my head to the side. "Where did you come from? You're definitely a new breed of Evans."

Stevie continued to speak, but it seemed more like he was thinking aloud. "Is it a blessing or a curse to be that drawn to someone? I mean it worked out great for dad and grandpa, but you're pining away for a girl that you don't even have."

I slammed the two liter soda down and glared at Stevie. I didn't anyone to tell me how strong and messed up my feelings were. I already knew.

Stevie sighed, "Okay, I'll drop it. We don't need any more shaken up sodas."

* * *

><p>Later the night, everyone showed up to join me, Heather, Stevie, and Stacey. The living room was filled with old friends showering Heather with their own versions of old stories and new ones as well. Blaine, Rachel, and Kurt were still in town for the anniversary party. All three were able to share fond memories of Heather's parents. Mike, Tina, and their daughter were there. Tina told Heather about how Quinn and Finn came to join the club. Matt and his son MJ were in town to pick up Mark. Matt told her about Finn and him being on the McKinley football team. Artie came with his longtime girlfriend Bridget and he shared his memories as well. To my surprise, about 30 minutes in the reunionparty, Puck came with Lauren and the kids.

"Puck, why haven't you returned my calls?" I asked immediately when I saw him.

Puck sent a confused look to Lauren. "What calls?"

Lauren picked up their youngest daughter and settled her on her hip. "Don't give me that look. I told you several times. Remember? I told you during Wheel of Fortune."

"Oh yeah…" Puck said, remembering Lauren's messages.

He turned toward me. "Was it important? I've been away at a conference."

"It's extremely important."

The doorbell rang and Rachel went to answer the door.

"Puck, I have to tell you something."

"What are you doing here?" Rachel's question left the foyer and filled the living room, catching everyone's attention.

Rachel's reaction caught me off guard. She sounded shocked and livid, unlike anything I had ever heard from her. Who would cause her to react that way?

"Wait here. I still have something to tell you." I said to Puck. I walked past him toward the foyer to what had happened. I walked into the foyer to find an angry Rachel, confused Beth, and stunned Shelby.

Rachel turned to me. "Why is my birth mother here, Sam?"

My eyes widened. "Your birth mother?"

Rachel turned back to Shelby. "And why haven't you tried to contact me? Why didn't you return my phone calls?"

Rachel looked at Beth and blinked a few times. "Beth…you're so grown up."

Beth's eyes swung back and forth Shelby to Rachel and back. "Wait…you guys look-alike. Oh shit, is she my sister too?"

Shelby ran her hands over her face. "Language! And technically no. Not biologically. I'm not ready for this. I wasn't told that Rachel would be here. I'm sorry that I didn't return-I-I'm sorry." Shelby's voice began to break a little from stammering. Obviously, there were some details of Beth's adoption that I wasn't told about.

I looked at Beth and then Shelby, whom was growing uncomfortable. I had to get control of the situation. "Please wait here. Rachel, come with me."

Rachel followed me to the back of the foyer, which was far enough away for us to have a private conversation. I explained to Rachel everything that had happened with Beth in the last week and Rachel explained that Quinn had given Beth away to her mother.

I tried to reason with Rachel. "Can you put your feelings aside for today? Please. For Heather's sake and Beth's. Beth just wants to meet Puck."

Rachel ran her hands over her face, almost the same way her mother did. But I didn't tell her that. From the little interaction I saw, it seemed that Rachel had some animosity toward Shelby and I didn't want to upset her.

"Rachel, I know I'm asking a lot. But please? Don't make me get on knees and beg."

Rachel sighed, conceding. "Alright. I won't cause any drama, but I'm only doing this for Quinn's girls. What about Puck? Does he know?"

I closed my eyes tight. "Shit."

I had tried to call Puck for almost the past week and tell him about Beth, but he never returned the calls. Now, Beth was standing in my foyer and it was going to look like an ambush. I internally kicked myself for not planning this out better.

Rachel shook her head and walked past me. Sarcasm filled her voice. "Well this is going to be fun."

* * *

><p>Rachel and I walked back into the living room and all talking seemed to end at once. All eyes were on me.<p>

"Who's here?" Tina asked, from the couch.

"Someone for Puck. Um…Puck, I need to speak with you." I said walking toward him.

Puck frowned. "What's up? You're kinda freaking me out. Who's here?"

I walked toward the hallway that led to bedrooms and Puck followed. We stopped in the middle of the hallway and I blurted who was here. "Beth and Shelby are here."

Puck stood shocked, frozen in his spot. His eyes refused to blink, which made his blank stare turn intense. His breathing became slower, almost like it was calculated. "What did you say?"

"Beth is in the foyer. She wants to meet you."

Puck's hand flew to his chest. He clenched his fist and began to beat his chest.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Puck continued to hit his chest. "Making sure that my heart is still beating. How did you find them?"

"Last Friday-"

"Last Friday?" Puck said, interrupting me. He pointed at me with an agitated finger. "But I saw you last Saturday! What in the hell didn't you tell me then?"

"I didn't know how." I said. "I really struggled with it, because everything that a student tells me is in confidence. I'm not allowed to tell-"

"Screw that. I'm your friend and she's my daughter. You should have told me!"

"I tried. Beth said that she wanted to meet her parents, but was having a hard time finding you. I called you. Repeatedly, but you never returned the calls. I'm sorry that it took me a few days to make the decision to throw protocol out the window." I paused. "Puck, you can waste time being angry with me. But your daughter is in there and she wants to meet you."

Puck finally blinked and sighed. "She's really here? I mean-" Emotion packed his voice. "My baby girl is really here?"

I nodded. "She came for you."

Puck turned to walk, but then he paused and looked at me over his shoulder. "Thank-you."

* * *

><p>Puck and I walked out in living room to find that Shelby and Beth had already come in. I walked over to the couch and sat next to Tina. The room was quiet and all eyes were on Puck and Beth.<p>

Beth looked at Puck and it was like she knew. "Dad?"

Blaine said confused, "Dad? What's going on?"

Kurt hushed Blaine while snacking on popcorn. "I'll explain later."

Puck took a few steps toward Beth, but didn't go all the way. "You're so big and you look just like Quinn. But I guess you got some of me too." Puck pointed to his low mohawk, which caused Beth touch the blue stripes in her blonde hair. "I pictured this day a million times and you even more beautiful than in my dreams."

Beth rubbed her arm. "Then why did you give me away?"

Puck nodded. "I knew you would ask that. I wanted to keep you, which was the most selfish decision I ever wanted to make. Quinn wanted to give you away. She was adamant about it and I'm so glad that she did."

Beth looked to the floor and took a step back. Obviously, a little hurt and confused by his words. "You were happy to get rid of me?"

"No." Puck walked over and grabbed Beth by the shoulders. The sudden action caused her to jolt in surprise. Beth looked up from the floor and into his eyes, which had welled with tears. "Look at yourself, Beth. Look at you. Shelby did an amazing job with you. Much better than two high-schoolers could have done. Quinn wanted a better life for you and I didn't understand it at the time but in order for that to happen…we couldn't be the ones to raise you. Quinn knew that and gave you to someone who could give you a great life. Giving you away was the hardest, most painful, and most selfless thing that I have ever done. Quinn would say the same."

Beth looked down at the floor and shook her head. "I really don't want the generic 'We did because we love you' speech."

"But it's true." Puck said. "Trust me; I knew the severity of the decision. I didn't grow up with a constant dad and I didn't want that for you. But one great parent is better than two crappy ones. And at the time, we would have been crappy parents. Beth, I have missed you and thought about you all the time. I'm so thankful that I have the chance to see you again. I only wish Quinn was here… you may not want to hear this but we let you go because we love you. But if you want, I would love to get to know you."

Beth looked up from the floor and smiled. "Really?"

Puck nodded. "You're the last piece to our family."

Beth nodded. "I would really like that."

Puck pulled Beth in and hugged her, before kissing the top of her head.

There were smiles around the room as everyone stood and welcomed Beth in.

Heather walked over with Katy. "Umm…Beth, you have another sister."

Puck let go of Beth as she looked at Katy. "Hi! Wow, do I have anymore siblings?" She turned to Puck. "Do you have any more children?"

Heather laughed. "Oh does he…"

Beth squinted in her eyes in confusion, before Heather, Katy and six more kids ran toward Beth in a group hug.

Over at the couch, Tina, Kurt and I discussed how amazing this was. But half way in the conversation, Kurt's phone rang and signaled that he had a new voicemail. He excused himself.

"I'm so happy for Puck." Tina said, bouncing Mina on her knee. "Giving up Beth was hard on him."

I looked over at Beth as she played with Heather and the rest of her newfound brothers and sisters. A roar of laughter broke within the group. "I'm happy for all of them. Especially Heather. I'm glad that she's laughing again."

Tina smiled, but quickly frowned as she looked past me. "Is Kurt okay?"

I looked behind me and I frowned too. The blood had drained from Kurt's face as he clutched the phone next to his ear. "No! No! No!"

"Kurt are you okay?" I asked.

Kurt looked at me and his breathing became shallow, like he was panicking. Kurt looked away and quickly punched the keys on his phone. Wrapping his one arm around himself, he used his other hand to put the phone back to his ear. "Pick up the phone. Pick up the damn phone!"

The outburst got the attention of Blaine, who walked over to Kurt. "Kurt, what's wrong?" He joked. "Did you miss a flash sale at Barney's?"

Kurt shook his head and whispered something in Blaine's ear. Blaine's hand flew over his mouth. I looked at Tina and we exchanged worried looks.

Kurt continued to command his phone. "Pick up the phone. God, please pick up the phone!"

I knew it was something serious. Not only did their abnormal demeanor worry me, but Kurt mentioned God. Kurt has been an atheist since high school and if he calls on God…it's serious.

Blaine shook his head. "What do we do?"

"What is going on?" I asked. Kurt looked at me but quickly averted the gaze. It was like he couldn't look at me.

The doorbell rang and Blaine jumped a little, like it scared him. This was bizarre and I wish someone would tell me what was going on.

Kurt hit Blaine in the arm and pointed toward the foyer. Blaine took the hint and began to briskly walk toward the door. Their actions made me beyond suspicious.

I stood. "Blaine, stop. I'll get it."

Blaine shook his head. "No let me. I insist. Really."

I began to walk across the room. "I can get my door. It's fine. Calm down, Blaine. Why are you and Kurt so jumpy and anxious?"

Blaine blurted. "Please let me answer the door." The room grew quiet at Blaine's slight outburst.

"No." I shook my head and walked into the foyer. The door bell rang again and I opened the door to see Mercedes. Her hand was frozen on the doorbell as she looked at me like she had seen a ghost. Mercedes stood frozen in her spot, while my mouth dropped open. The longest ten seconds passed as Mercedes and I stared at each other.

Even though my mouth didn't work, my mind did. And I couldn't help but think about how beautiful she still was.

"Oh my God." Mercedes breathed. "Heather is your _Heather_?"

I narrowed my eyes. "You're here for the party?"

I heard someone approaching from behind Mercedes. The person's voice carried to the space between Mercedes and me. "Mommy!"

Mercedes gasped and yelled. "Melissa, go back to the car!"

My shoulders dropped and so did my heart. Mercedes had moved on and had children. The thought saddened me. I had no right to expect her not to move on or to wait for me. And it was a bit hypocritical of me. But it still hurt that she had moved. Her children weren't my children and our dream was surely gone.

The little girl walked up beside Mercedes. I looked down at the little girl and after seeing her, my vision immediately snapped back up to Mercedes.

Mercedes breathed, "Sam…"

I looked back down at the little girl. Her round, happy eyes beamed at me. She smiled and I returned the gesture.

But her eyes. Her eyes caught me. Her eyes memorized me. This little girl had my mother's green eyes.


	32. Chapter 31: The Man in the Locket

Thank-you everyone for the reviews. I LOVE reading them.

Enjoy! Please read and review! Please forgive any grammatical errors and/or dropped words.

I do not own Glee, the movie Definitely, Maybe, the songs mentioned in the story, or anything.

* * *

><p>"Melissa, go back to the car." Mercedes repeated. "Now."<p>

I was about to protest their leaving, but Melissa beat me to it. Melissa looked at her mother and gave her a look that could only be described as sheer disappointment. "No! Can we stay? Please? I wanted to go to Heather's sleepover." Melissa pleaded with her laced fingers shaking in front of her face. "Please Mom? I want to stay with my friends."

Mercedes shook her head again. "This isn't a good idea, baby."

Melissa's hands and arms fell as her shoulders slumped forward. She frowned at her mother. "Mom, why not? I finally have friends here."

I took a step forward. "She can stay."

Mercedes' eyes snapped to me and she shook her head. "Not now." She looked back down to Melissa and repeated herself.

Melissa finally gave in, knowing that she wasn't going to win the battle. Her green eyes found mine. "Mr. Hudson, can you tell Heather that I'm sorry I couldn't…" Her words trailed off as she seemingly began to study my face like I had studied hers the entire time.

"It's Mr. Evans, actually…" I said, my words trailing off like Melissa's had. 'Mister' felt too formal, because I knew. I knew this little girl is mine. But I wouldn't ask now. Not in front of Melissa. I glanced to Mercedes who was watching us both intently. She didn't blink or breathe, like she was wanting in a nervous anticipation for what would happen next.

Melissa adjusted the sleeping bag slung over her shoulder, never breaking eye contact with me. "Are you the man in mama's locket?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Locket?"

"Oh my God." Mercedes said quickly, almost in panic. She grabbed Melissa by the shoulders and turned her around. "No, he isn't. Go back to the car."

"He looks just like him."

"The car." Mercedes said with warning in her voice. Melissa finally complied. She walked across the yard to the car parked at the top of the driveway, but not before looking at me one more time. When she closed the back passenger door, I turned to her mother.

"I'm sorry…we have to go." Mercedes said. The pace of her words was low and quick, like she wanted to get out of there quickly. "I really had no idea that this was your party."

"How old is she?"

"Eight years old. I'm sorry we have to go."

"Mercedes, wait." Eight years ago. Eight years ago. The time frame bounced in my head as I tried to think back about what happened during that time. Then I remembered…Mercedes and I were together. It was at the end of our relationship and I had started drinking, but we were still together. Then I remembered our last fight and Mercedes' demeanor during it. She had nausea and was vomiting…I thought it was worry over my drinking….but it hadn't been…

I looked over to the little girl in the back seat of the car. Melissa pressed her hands against the glass windows as she watched us. The little girl had green eyes, curly brown hair, and a smile like her mother. I already knew the answer to the next question, but I needed to hear it confirmed.

"Is Melissa my daughter?" I asked.

Mercedes crossed her arms. "You're bold. I haven't seen you in years-"

I took a step forward and repeated my question "Is she mine?"

Mercedes took a step back. "She isn't yours."

"Don't lie to me." I said. "Don't tell me that, Mercedes. It all makes sense now. Eight years, you cancelled your tour. You threw up in my apartment and you were nauseous. I thought you were sick because of me. But they were signs of pregnancy the whole time."

Mercedes' eyes blinked a few times. "You remember that?"

"I remember everything!" I said, my anger starting to build. I could feel it. I could feel my heart racing and blood pressure rising. "And I've seen her. That little girl has my mother's eyes. Don't tell me she isn't mine. How could you do this to me? How could you do this to her?"

"Keep your voice down! I don't want her to find out this way."

I tried to calm myself down so I looked to ground, because at that moment…I couldn't look at her. "Do you know what you've taken from me? Taken from her?"

I thought I heard a cry, which was the only reason I looked her way. Something in Mercedes broke as her hand flew over her mouth and she took a jagged breath. She closed her eyes. Her voice became imbued with emotion. "You don't think I feel awful? You don't know how many times I wanted to tell you. Sam…this isn't the way that I wanted to tell you."

Now, emotion seeped into my voice. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

"It was complicated. I didn't…I didn't know how to tell you that I was pregnant-"

"What?" The word was yelled, loud and clear.

We both looked to where the sound had come from. We saw Mercedes' back-car door open and Melissa standing in the middle of the lawn.

Melissa dropped her bag. "You're my dad? The man in the locket is my father?"

Mercedes hands flew to the sides of her face. "Oh my God."

The next few minutes were a blur as Mercedes tried to calm down a hysterical, confused Melissa. When I went to help, Melissa backed away from me. It was her first reaction to me and it hurt. Mercedes solely decided to take Melissa to Jones' house.

I stood on the lawn, in the same spot as Melissa had just minutes earlier, trying to figure out what had just happened. How had it gotten this far? But my confusion turned to anger as I realized that there were people in my house that known about Melissa all along.

* * *

><p>"Sam!" Blaine grabbed my forearm, trying to stop me from going back into the living room. "Don't do this!"<p>

I snatched my arm back and Blaine lost his balance. The sound of Blaine stumbling into the foyer furniture echoed past me in the living room and the party grew silent. I heard Blaine plead for me stop and calm down first. But I wasn't going to stop. I wanted answers. I wanted them now. I walked back in the living room and looked around at the people who were blissfully unaware of what just happened.

"Who knew?" The anger in my voice permeated the living room and it took everyone by surprise. Confused faces stared back at me with different variations of slanted eyes, burrowed eyebrows, and scrunched faces. But on some of my friends' faces, these features quickly into features of guilt. They already knew what I meant.

"What the hell happened now?" Puck asked, throwing his arms into the air.

I took a deep breath to try to ease some of my anger. But it was to no avail. "Who in this room knew that I had a daughter named Melissa and kept it from me?"

Confusion and bewilderment turned into shock. Eyes widened, hands flew over mouths, and gasps filled the room after I revealed what had just happened. Again, I noticed that some guests weren't shocked, but had a more guilt ridden look to their faces. Especially Kurt.

Kurt crossed his arms and averted my gaze, when everyone else couldn't stop staring at me. Kurt's strange behavior before suddenly became clear. He was trying to warn Mercedes to not come here, unwittingly with my daughter. Kurt closed his eyes tightly, like he was wishing that he was somewhere else.

"Sam." Blaine walked into the living room. "Let's talk about this outside."

"No." Kurt opened his eyes, shaking his head. "No more lies. I'm done. Sam, I knew. I've known about Melissa for a long time and I am sorry that I didn't tell you about her."

"I think it's time to go." Matt said, pulling MJ a little closer to him.

I turned to Matt. "NO. No one leaves until I know everything."

Matt shook his head. "Look man, I didn't know."

"Me either." Puck said and Lauren nodded in agreement. Artie and my siblings also said that they had no knowledge of Melissa either.

I turned my attention back to Kurt. "How could you keep this from me?" The anger in my voice rose with every word, inching closer to my boiling point.

"Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down." I said, walking toward Kurt. Blaine grabbed my arm again, and snatched it away again.

"Don't take this out only on Kurt." Blaine said. "I knew too. I lied too. And I'm sorry."

Rachel took a step forward. "I knew too."

Then Tina admitted that she knew about Melissa, but the last person hurt most of all.

"Sam…"

I turned to see Mike. I shook my head. "No. Don't tell me…"

"I'm sorry." Mike said, but his words didn't mean anything. I didn't expect Mike to know. He had been my best friend since high school and he had too kept the secret of my daughter from me.

Mike explained that Tina had made him promised to never tell until Mercedes was ready. It had been his greatest regret and the secret that had haunted him with guilt ever since. Mike felt guilty for not only lying to me, but for being at the hospital with Tina when Melissa was born. He said it should have been me there, not him.

"But why?" I said. People were confessing to their involvement but no one had told me why they would do something so horrible to me. Why would they willing rob me of eight years with my daughter? I heard the sound of my heart beating in my ears, like marching soldiers.

"Do you want to know the reality of it?" Kurt asked. Then he stammered in his explanation. "Sam…you were a mess. Mercedes was pregnant and you too had just been a huge fight about your drinking and…we didn't think you were fit to-"

I took an aggressive step toward him and I closed my fists. Kurt closed his mouth quickly, stopping the awkward explanation. Kurt tightened his face, anticipating a hit.

"Melissa, is your daughter?"

I looked over to see Heather standing next to Katy. Heather was crushed. I was guilty. I had been so blinded by my anger that I didn't even think about how Heather would handle this.

"Sweetheart…" The word was drawn out. It was slow and sad and sorry all at the same time. Her big brown eyes begged me to tell it wasn't true, but I couldn't, especially after seeing another set of green eyes five minutes earlier.

"You thought I was crazy!" Heather said. "I told you. I told you that Melissa was trying to steal my life."

Heather ran and the slamming of the bathroom door could be heard all the way in the living room. I started to walk toward the hallway leading to Heather's room but Puck stops me.

"A lot of stuff just happened." Puck said. It was probably the biggest understatement of the year. "You need to take a walk and think. Your life isn't going to be the same and you need to figure it out for yourself first before you try to explain to Heather."

"No, Heather needs me and-"

I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Stacy. "I got it."

Stacy walked down the hall towards Heather. Beth followed along as backup.

Puck sighed. "Let's go for a walk and talk about it."

I shook my head. "No. I need to do this alone."

I turned to the people who had betrayed. "Get out of my house."

* * *

><p>After walking aimlessly for a few miles, I ended up in a park. I sat on the bench and started to think about Heather, Melissa, and Mercedes, when a car pulled up on the corner of the block. A woman walked out. I recognized her, but still blinked my eyes a few times in disbelief. Of course, this day would only get more bizarre for me.<p>

I sat forward and looked down at the ground, until there was a pair of heels blocking my view of the sidewalk.

I shook my head. "I thought you said that you would never step foot in Ohio again."

"Apparently, my son is at your house." The woman said. "My son's father decided to kidnap, bring him to this hellhole and then had the audacity to force me back here. I needed to talk to you anyway…for a long time. So maybe it was for the best."

I looked up at the reporter, who I had felt staring at me. "Leave me alone, Santana."

* * *

><p>Santana sighed. "Can you at least be open-minded? I really need to talk to you. Can we talk?"<p>

I shrugged. "It depends. Is this off the record? Or will anything I say be published in a national magazine?"

"I deserved that." Santana said, crossing her arms. "This is off the record. By the way."

I shrugged again and Santana took it as an invitation to sit down.

Santana started. "Sam, I'm sorry."

"I'm hearing a lot of that these days."

Santana continued, "I know those three words can't do much. I lied and it turned your life upside down. Because of my lies, you almost didn't make it into the NFL. You were embarrassed on a national scale. They wouldn't even put you in the football hall of fame, which you deserve but because of me-"

"What's your point?"

"I want to make this right."

"How?"

Santana took a deep breath. "Sam Evans, I want to write your biography."

I laughed. The first genuine laugh that I had in the last few hours. "Fat chance in hell. Why would I agree to that?"

"Because I talked to Adam."

"You're not helping your case."

Santana sighed. "Adam and I want to both go on the record and tell everyone what we did to you."

I paused and stared at her. "What about your career? Do you really want people to know how cut-throat you are?"

"If I can get your forgiveness, then yes." She sighed. "You don't know the kind of guilt that I've lived with.

I looked away, still shocked to have seen a face that I hadn't seen in years. "Santana…I can't. I just don't trust you anymore."

Santana nodded at an answer that she had expected. "I know that I have to earn your forgiveness and this book could be my way."

"I already forgave you, Santana. A long time ago."

Her eyes blinked a few times. "Why?"

"Being angry at you only hurt me. I forgive you and this guilt book isn't necessary."

"You forgive me." Santana said. "But you don't trust me."

I nodded.

"But what if I want your trust?"

I sighed, before leaning back into the bench and looking to the sky. "I don't think it's possible."

Santana leaned back into the bench too. She changed the subject. "Matt, told me what happened at the party."

I sighed. I felt Santana looking at me.

"Sam…I think you need to go talk to Mercedes." Santana said. "She is staying at her parents' house here in Cleveland. They moved here a few years ago. I have the address."

I looked at her, confused. "How?"

"I am a world-class reporter." She said with a smugness that was reminiscent of a younger Santana and that worried me. "Do you want a ride?"

I shook my head. "The last thing I need is for you to publish a story about this."

"I wouldn't do that."

I gave her an incredulous look. "You've done it before. The steroids story."

"I'm different, Sam." Santana sat up and looked at me. There was sincerity in her eyes, but I wouldn't let myself trust it. "Sam, I'm grown up. I'm not a lost little girl looking for her way anymore. I'm older, wiser and I'm finally happy. It took a long time for me to get here." She paused. "I've learned that when you find a friend as genuine as you that you hold on to them, because there aren't that many out there. And not only did I let you go, but I hurt you. I really wish that you would give me that opportunity to right my wrongs. Let us take you to see Mercedes and your daughter."

I sat up. "Us?"

Santana smiled and nodded. She waved at that car. A familiar blonde came out the passenger side and walked toward us.

"Nice to see you, Sam." Brittany said, sitting next to Santana on the bench. "Lord Tubbington misses your impressions and we're sorry we didn't invite you to our wedding."

"What?"

"Brittany and I eloped two years ago in Las Vegas." Santana added, showing her ring on her hand. "You may not trust me, but you trust Brittany. Right?"

"I guess…"

"I told Santana that if she any more stories about Glee members, then I would divorce her." Brittany said. "And take half of her stuff. So she wouldn't write anything about you, she has something to lose."

I shook my head.

"Trouty Mouth, I swear you better get in this car and go see your kid."

I laughed. "I haven't heard that nickname in years." Then laugh was replaced with silence as I stared at both of them for a while.

Despite my better judgment, I conceded, "You can drive me there. But I swear if you write anything about my daughter, I will come after you."

Santana nodded. "Understood."

* * *

><p>When I woke up this morning, I couldn't have predicted anything that happened today. I definitely didn't think I would be on the Jones' front steps. I rang the door bell and it opened immediately.<p>

Mercedes stood in the doorway with tears in her eyes. She let out a disappointed sigh when she saw me. "No. I thought you were the police."

"Police? What happened?"

"Melissa ran away."

* * *

><p>"Damn flashlight." Deshawn said smacking the flashlight. It flickered a few times before coming on.<p>

A search party had formed and we were all broken up into pairs to cover more ground. It was getting darker out and everyone was worried about Melissa.

Deshawn and I had been partnered up and given the area of the park near the Jones' house. We walked the two blocks in complete silence. The only words that had been spoken were the curses that Deshawn directed at the flashlight.

I looked past the trees to the playground. My eyes bounced from the swing set to the slide to the sandbox. No Melissa. We walked past the playground into the more wooded area of the park. As we walked further into the darkness, I noticed the street lights had begun to illuminate the edge of the park that we had passed. It was getting late and I worried for the little girl I had only met a few hours earlier.

Fishing my phone out of my pocket, I tapped the screen of the phone to get more light.

"Please, don't tell me you're making a phone call now, Nebraska." Deshawn said, shining his light on my phone.

"Makeshift flashlight." I said, walking out the path of the light.

"Oh." Deshawn said, turning his attention to the patch of bushes next to him.

"Has she done this before?" I asked. "Run away?"

"Once. About a year ago, when she thought that Mercedes was moving her to Southern California."

"I did that once." I said, remembering a time when I hid away in my grandparents' backyard. I was 12. It was the first time my dad had a potential new job offer in Florida.

"So she gets this from you? Great."

I ignored the last sarcastic comment. There was no point in responding. It was more important to find Melissa and arguing would hinder that. So it remained a quiet search, when Deshawn stopped abruptly.

He shook his head. "She ain't here."

I nodded in agreement. We had been looking for about thirty minutes. Also, we hadn't received any new updates from the search party and now it was completely dark out. We needed a new strategy.

Deshawn continued, "She wouldn't be this deep in the woods anyway." He chuckled. "And if she is, she probably has gone full Tarzan and become one with nature."

"Let's go."

Deshawn turned around and started walking back. "Melissa probably can speak raccoon and deer by now." He laughed a little more, which started to irritate me. "Princess of the wild."

"Stop it."

"It was just a joke."

"This isn't the time to joke. It's not appropriate." I stopped in my tracks. Deshawn stopped and turned to face me.

I continued, "A little girl is missing. My little girl."

I paused for a second, because the idea of having another daughter was still new to me. "Melissa is probably alone, scared, and lost. We need to find her. Not tell jokes. You need to take this more seriously."

Deshawn looked upset and offended. "Don't tell me to take this more seriously." His voice began to rise. "I am scared out of my mind right now. Melissa is gone and I have no damn idea where she is." He paused. "This is what I do, okay. I joke. When something upsets me, I joke. When something scares me, I joke. When something makes me uncomfortable, I make a joke. It's how I get through shit. Its how I get through life."

"Listen-"

"No, you need to know this. Don't you ever insinuate that I don't care about her. I care for Melissa like she was one of my own kids. When you weren't there, I was the father figure. When you were in rehab, I was there. When you were off living life, I was there for her every time."

"That wasn't my fault." I shouted back at him. "If I had known, I would have been there."

"I know." Deshawn said in a still risen voice. But then he stopped and let out a deep sigh, one that seemed to calm him.

"I know." He said a second time, but this time there was an undertone of compassion. "I know that the majority of this isn't your fault, but you do need to acknowledge your part in this whole mess. I don't what you did, but you really hurt my sister."

The conversation ended there and again, we headed back in silence.

* * *

><p>We decided to check local stores next. None of the store owners had seen her. Most wished us good luck on the search. Most said that they would keep an eye out for her. Nice people. But there was one that I would like to forget.<p>

A bald electronics salesman stared at the picture that Deshawn had given him over his glass counter. Chewing his gum a mile a minute, he examined the photo.

"Huh." He said, flipping the picture over to the back. "Cute kid. What's her name?"

"Melissa." I said.

"She got a last name?"

"It's…um…" I hadn't even had a chance to think about what her last name. Was it Evans?

"Jones." Deshawn said, after he saw me struggle for an answer.

That hurt. I wanted my daughter to have my name.

"Bud, you should see your face. Did I hit a sore spot?" The salesman said, flipping the photo back over to the front. "You look pissed. I'm guessing that you're the dad. How do you not know your own kid's last name?"

"Have you seen her?" I asked, trying to suppress my anger. Anger that had come in spurts all day. I was trying to calm myself down, because I was about to take out all my day's frustrations out on him.

The salesman half-smiled chewing his gum louder. "Hey buddy, when's her birthday, huh?"

I didn't know why, but he got some sick pleasure out of taunting me. I took a step forward with clenched fists when Deshawn extended his arm in front of me. He shook his head and whispered, "It ain't worth it. He ain't worth it."

Deshawn dropped his arm and walked toward the counter. "Look man, a little girl is missing. And you're just wasting our time at this point. Now, have you seen her or not?"

The man dropped the photo on the counter and with two fingers; he pushed it back to Deshawn. "I haven't seen her."

* * *

><p>We hit dead-end after dead-end and it didn't seem like we were any closer to finding her. On top of it all, I realized–thanks to a rude salesman–that I really didn't know anything about the little girl I was looking for. At that moment, I remembered Quinn talking to me about Beth. She told me how hard it was to have someone walking this Earth–who was a part of you–but you didn't know them. At that moment, I knew exactly what she meant and I think how she felt.<p>

"Sam, that guy was a jerk." Deshawn said.

"What?" I said, surprised that Deshawn was showing me sympathy. Maybe, even more surprised, that he used my real name.

"That guy was being an asshole. You know more about Melissa than even you realize."

I narrowed my eyes. "How so?"

"Well, she is just like you."

I smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah, first off, the girl loves sci-fi. Like she maybe a borderline fanatic."

I listened to Deshawn as he rattled off how Melissa was like me. He told me about her childhood. He told me stories about her. He told me about her personality. He told me about how resilient, funny, talented, caring and creative she was. And as I learned more about her, I fell more in love with her.

"And she has your corny sense of humor. She laughs at the worst jokes."

I laughed a little and imagined spending Saturday afternoons sharing jokes with Melissa and Heather like my father had done with me. Then my mind wandered to the question of how much was Melissa really like me. I thought about when I ran away and where I had gone. Then it hit me.

"Does Melissa have anywhere that she goes to be by herself? To think things over?"

Deshawn nodded and mentioned the tree house, but they had already checked there. But I had a feeling that might be exactly where she was.

* * *

><p>"Melissa." We both yelled as we searched the Jones backyard. I looked up to the tree house and decided that I would check it myself. I climbed the ladder and when I reached the top, I found a cool hangout spot and a little girl sitting in the corner.<p>

"Found her." I said.

Deshawn rushed to the bottom of the ladder. "Thank God. Tell her to get down here immediately."

I looked down to Deshawn. "Can I handle this one? I want to talk to her."

Deshawn looked up to me and nodded in understanding. I wanted to start being there for her.

"I'm calling Mercedes." He said, before walking away.

I climbed into the tree house to see a little girl staring at me. Her only movements were fidgets in her chair, like she was nervous.

I smiled at her to try to show her that it was okay. "Hi."

Melissa smiled. "Hi."

* * *

><p>Okay, so I think I win the award for most inconsistent updates. Guys, I'm really sorry for an almost year gap since the last chapter. But real life stuff got in the way. My goal is to finish this story and I'm going to try my best to accomplish that goal.<p>

Anyway, please tell me what you guys think. I love reading your reviews


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